Order
by RockMusicFan80
Summary: The world has suddenly changed and Takato was not expecting what he saw. The race of man has declined so significantly that the woman race is almost in full control. What can he do?
1. Prologue

Order

The world as suddenly changed and Takato was not expecting what he saw. The race of man has declined so significantly that the woman race is almost in full control. What can he do?

**Before this story starts, one note: **

**I AM NOT sexist! I DO NOT believe one gender is superior to the other. I am NOT racist, anti-Semitic, or prejudiced. This story was just an idea that kept coming back to me. So what you will read now is NOT my beliefs, just an idea for a story.**

**Prologue**

The rain pounded the ground hard, destruction was everywhere, Takato's house, gone. The park, trashed with debris. The bodies of the dead scattered all over the ground.  
>How did this happen? Takato thought. Was this inevitable? Did we do this to ourselves?<br>"Takato!" a voice called.  
>He turned towards the wreckage of the Matsuki bakery, Henry Wong was running towards him.<br>"How…" He started, but Takato shook his head.  
>"I don't know…" he stated. "I just don't know what to think anymore…"<p>

"Hey! You too!" another voice called. They both turned, to see a woman, older than they were, holding a gun at them.  
>"Hey!" Takato yelled. "What are you doing!"<p>

"Ridding the world of you men." She said harshly. "You destroy this world with your choices. Your wars, your politics, your drive for power, your lust for riches! You make me SICK!"

"RUN TAKATO!" Henry yelled.  
>They both took off in the other direction. Bullets started whizzing by their ears.<p>

"Gah!" Takato yelled, ducking low.  
>Both of them bolted into a run-down drugstore, hiding in the aisles. The woman looked near the store, but didn't go in. She soon moved on.<br>After emerging, Henry and Takato were speechless.  
>"Do you think that's what's been happening? Man genocide?" Henry asked worriedly.<br>"I don't know…" Takato said anxiously.

"You're suspicions were right on." A voice said behind them.

They jumped, and whipped around. An elderly man sat there, behind cash register.  
>"Oh…Sorry for coming into your store…" Takato apologized.<br>"No need, I know what's going on out there." The man replied. "My name's Shingi."  
>"Takato." Takato introduced.<br>"Henry." Henry said. "What's going on here?"

"Where were you two?" Shingi asked, curiously. "It happened a week ago."  
>Neither Takato nor Henry could tell him that they were unfrozen in a containment unit from 5 years ago.<p>

"Err…" Henry started. But Shingi cut him off.

"No matter." He said. "Anyway, you're both going to be in for a major shock if you don't know what's been going on. Basically, the women feel that us guys are the source of all the world's problems. And their grand scheme…"

"No…" both Henry and Takato said together.

"Is to seek and destroy all traces of the male gender and rid the world of us."

**So what do you think? This is an experimental fic that I'm trying out. Now like I said, I believe in equality, and this does not showcase my beliefs. Just an idea. So what do you think? Bad idea? Good idea? You decide!**


	2. Chapter 1

**: Well what a long review, and thank you! Well you did bring up a good question about Takato being the last guy on earth. And I do indeed notice your point. People causing genocide because of beliefs, or blame, as well as what they claim to be the 'greater good,' when many times in reality it's only hurting this world further. And as for the violent prologue, I'm trying something new. Because if you notice in my other stories, none of them have anything as violent as this does, and this isn't even Chapter 1! And I laughed at the cash register joke; well it's a small drugstore. As for the movie reference, I didn't expect that actually. I've watched only partially of one of the 'Apes movies, but it wasn't really something I tried to take from somewhere else. It's a strange way how this idea came to fruition, but I'll explain that later, I'm rambling here. As for the "cryogenically frozen" part, that'll be explained in time. All in all, thanks for the review!**

Chapter 1: Beginnings

**NOTE: In this story, Takato and Henry are best friends, but only them. The other characters are not friends yet. They will be introduced later. I also forgot to mention, it's rated T for language, and sexual preferences. **

**Ages: Takato and Henry: 18**

Takato sat in his psychology class, typing some notes on his laptop. He barely slept last night, as he had to finish a sociology paper for that morning. Looking at his watch, he saw the numbers "9:30 a.m."  
><em>Guh…15 more minutes…Takato thought. Then an hour break. I'm hungry.<br>_He suddenly found it hard to keep his eyes open, as exhaustion was returning to him.  
><em>Damn it…he thought. Procrastination…a gift and a curse.<em>

"And as such, the human mind has a specific reaction depending on the environment around him or her." Mrs. Mayaka said to the class.  
>Takato then felt his binder next to him, and laid his head on it.<br>_Sleep…he thought. So ti—_

"TAKATO!"  
>"GAH!"<p>

He quickly snapped his head up and looked at Mrs. Mayaka. She was staring back at him, annoyed.  
>"You can sleep somewhere else Mr. Matsuki, I have class going on right no—"she started. But then she looked at the clock, 9:45.<br>She sighed. "Alright, we're going to have to finish this when you come back from vacation; class dismissed."  
>Takato closed his laptop and stuff all his books into his backpack.<br>_Finally…He thought._

"Takato Matsuki, will you come to my desk?" Mrs. Mayaka asked.

Groaning inwardly, he made his way to her desk.  
>"Mr. Matsuki, this is the 8th time this month you've fallen asleep in my class." She said sternly.<br>"You counted?" Takato asked innocently.  
>"That doesn't matter." She replied icily. Her tone then became calm. "You need to get more sleep, your average has dipped.<br>Takato's eyes widened. "How much!"  
>You had a 93% up to this month of March, but now it's down to an 80%. That's a 13% drop, and it poses some warning signs for me. You need to improve and get more sleep."<p>

Takato sighed. "Yes Mrs. Mayaka."

"Hey, don't feel so down." She replied. "You've shown earlier that you're a fantastic student, just work a little harder and you'll be back to your normal average. Alright?"  
>He nodded. "Yes ma'am."<br>She smiled. "Good. Now you have a good Spring break, Takato."  
>"Thanks." He replied, and left.<p>

After leaving the room, his phone vibrated.  
>"Text from Henry…" He said. He then read:<p>

Hey man, where are you? I'm here in the Main building, watching the news. Get over here quick!

_Huh? He thought. Come on, it's the news. It's always the same thing with politics and war and power. Same bullshit.  
><em>Either way, he rushed to the Main building towards Henry's location.

* * *

><p>"Takato!" Henry called. "Check it out!" Pointing to the large television on the wall.<p>

Takato turned, and saw a crowd of students huddled around the TV, watching the news.  
>"Someone turn up the volume!" a boy yelled out.<br>One of the administrators quickly complied, raising the volume so everyone could hear it.

"We are live with breaking news from New York City, United States." a reporter said. "Just moments ago, a large group of females stormed the financial district and penetrated Wall street, chanting 'Down with the male gender!' Also, they were seen killing dozens of males who happened to be on the street.

"What the hell!" Takato exclaimed. "Why would—"  
>"Not now!" Henry interrupted. "There's more!"<p>

Listening in, the reporter continued:

Police were quickly summoned to the Financial District to quell the so called "Uprising." However, just as police arrived on the scene, an explosion had rocked the city block, and nearly a third of the force was caught in the blast, causing many casualties. What is strange is that the female officers were unscathed."

"Eh?" Takato wondered. "Is this a cult or something?"  
>"Spot on, Takato." A voice spoke behind him.<p>

Both Henry and Takato turned, a young man, around the same age as them. He was wearing a necklace with a cross at the end. His jeans covered his shoes, and his hair was long, and it obscured his left eye. On his finger, was a ring with the Star of David on it.  
>"Err…" Takato started. "Who are you, and how do you know my name?"<br>"Oh, my apologies. My name is Sho." The young man said. "I'm a gender historian."  
>"A what?" Takato asked.<p>

"Gender historian." He said, holding out his hand.  
>Shaking it, Takato was still confused.<br>"So how you know my na—?"  
>"I've seen you a few times before." Sho replied. "Plus I know most of the kids by name on this campus."<br>Takato looked at Henry, who shrugged.  
>"I'm Henry." He said.<br>"Pleased to meet you Henry." Sho replied. "Now, I can explain what's going on in the news. Follow me."  
>With that, he turned around, and walked in the direction of the exit.<p>

Takato looked at Henry, who nodded. They quickly set off after Sho.

**Bit of an abrupt start of the plot, but I decided not to dawdle on the filler. Onwards!**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Seriously?

Both Takato and Henry followed Sho to his dorm. When they reached his door, he pulled out a key card and swiped it through the reader. The door opened on its own, surprising both Henry and Takato.

"Whoa…" Takato said, impressed.

Sho smiled. "Like it? I made it myself, as I tend to be a techie nerd with this stuff."

"Very impressive nonetheless." Henry added.

He shrugged as the three of them stepped in. What they saw, was unexpected. TV and computer screens littered the opposite wall, each one tuned to a news station. While near the middle, was a receiver controlling every single one. Also, A DVD player had been placed on top of it. Also, a small stereo was placed next to the receiver. On the right side of the room, six computer screens littered the wall, with the main systems on a brown, ornate desk. On the left wall, newspaper clippings as well as other bits of paper were tacked on the wall, with string connecting them, becoming a web, below the clippings was a full size bed.

"Like it? Took me a while to get everything set up." Sho said proudly.  
>Both Takato and Henry were speechless. They had never seen so much technology in one place before.<br>"How do you keep track of all this?" Henry asked.  
>"Simple, with this tablet." He picked up a black tablet the size of an average textbook and started tapping buttons on the touch screen.<br>Instantly, the computer screens turned on, and the stereo's volume turned up one of the TVs on the far end wall.

"Sweet." Takato said. "But is a small riot of women such a big deal?"

"It is, and it's a bigger deal than most people think." Sho replied. "Sure, right now it seems like a small idiotic riot of extremists, and normally I wouldn't be worried, if there wasn't proof of this before."

"What do you mean?" Henry wondered.

"There has been evidence from past generations about a day like this." Sho said. "If you look up on the wall of papers, you can find my evidence of events like this."  
>Both Takato and Henry looked up, and started reading. One article spoke of a women's yoga group that met in multiple countries. Another stated of a large woman's organization to fight for women rights.<p>

"Err…" Takato started.

"I know, it sounds irrelevant." Sho said. "But follow the strings to other articles."

So Takato, (looking at the yoga group article) traced the  
>string to another story. This one said '<strong>Woman's group controversy<strong>' in big, bold letters.

Looking at the details, he read:

_A few days ago, the same woman's organization (who claimed to be a yoga exercise group), released a few controversial statements on their website, (wfbt) These statements have all been against the male gender, claiming "Men ruin the earth" or "Men are the source of the world's problems." Also, they wrote that "Something must be done to purify the earth of such foul atrocities." _

Takato gasped. "Are you serious?"

Sho nodded grimly. "Yep, and that website kept popping up in the news articles. The problem is you need to be a 'registered member' to be able to access the site. It asks for a username and password. It took me a long time to break through the security, and I made sure to use a program to cover my ip address so they wouldn't track me. Here, I printed out some of the stories that have been on there."

He opened a desk drawer, and pulled out a packet of papers, handing them to Takato.  
>On the front packet, Takato read:<p>

"**WHY MEN DESTROY LIVES****"** by Francisca Olvetta.  
><em>I don't even want to read it now…Takato thought. But might as well…<em>

He read:

_Let me explain my reasoning behind this idea. Francisca writes. Have you noticed in the past few years that women have become victims of sexism? Why is this? It's because according to statistics, the IQ level as well as the number of women going to colleges have risen, while the stats for men have decreased. There are many factors to this trend, but I'll summarize it. First off, women are getting out of the house and are seizing the opportunities of the real world. This image of "women being the domestic type" has greatly weakened compared to the 50s, 60s, 70s, and even the 80s. Also, the rate of gaming in the male gender has risen dramatically compared to the last two decades. As a result of this gaming, less and less men are appearing in colleges and getting good paying jobs, which, in turn, gives the women a chance to become the breadwinner. But men have noticed this, and have resented this change. So sexism rears its ugly head and tries to limit women's opportunities, just like in the colonial days of the 18__th__ and 19__th__ centuries. Despite women winning many new rights, the male population continues to use underhanded schemes in order for women to NOT earn the high paying jobs, which gives the advantage back to the men._

Takato's mind was clouding up further and further as he read each paragraph. He just couldn't believe what he was reading. It's like a real conspiracy, but he was having a hard time believing it.

_I mean, this sounds ridiculous! Takato thought. Women can't possibly blame us guys for everything...Can they?_

He kept reading:

_So what does this mean? Francisca continues. It means that if the male population continues to deny women equally due to jealousy and lack of education, then the entire country's education level could face a drop in the near future. It is not a good prospect for many countries that handle such a problem. But the problem only gets worse. In recent research, I have compared the causes of World War I and World War II together, and they gave me one answer: The agenda is power. Even though World War I had a number of factors pertaining to its beginning, the end goal was the same: Victory at all costs. Take Germany for example. King Wilhelm I wanted to show Europe its new military machine in the German Army. Also, France wanted revenge on Germany for its defeat in 1871. What were these countries gunning for? The answer: Victory. What would come out of victory? Rewards. Power. Leverage. Territory, all very corruptible ideals. World War II is far blunter with its objectives—"_

Takato put the packet down, he just couldn't read anymore.  
>"This is crazy!" He said. "There's no way that something like this could happen! It's too—"<br>"Large scale? Impossible? Unlikely?" Sho finished. "I know, I reacted the same way you did Takato, but this really is happening right now."  
>"I have a lot of doubts about something like this." Henry said. "I mean, this is all very radical stuff here. How do you expect us to believe this blindly?"<p>

Sho sighed. "I had a feeling that you guys wouldn't believe me. Well that doesn't matter right now. I understand your point of views and I'm not annoyed. But look, when things start to happen, and you need help, call me. Take this with you."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. Handing to Takato, he continued:

"I can help you guys out when things start to go south." He added: "I know it may sound strange at first, but trust me, when it starts, you'll know."  
>Looking at the business card, Takato read:<p>

Sho Junko: Gender Historian #792-445-1125

Takato stared. _I…This can't be real! I mean all of this is like…Area 51 shit here! Bigfoot, giant squid, aliens level! I mean an apocalypse with women ruling and destroying men? It's stupid! I can't believe I almost got roped into his ideas. _

"Let's go Takato." Henry said. "I need something to drink."  
>Takato nodded. "Yeah, I need to clear my head out a little bit."<br>Both of them started moving towards the exit. Opening the door, Sho spoke up.

"So long." He said. "And you'll know soon."

**Sorry for taking sometime in uploading this chapter. Once again, (And I will put most chapters of this story) this DOES NOT reflect my views. I am NOT sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic or prejudiced. It was just an idea. Also, have any of you noticed the paradox between the Prologue and this chapter? If you don't see it, don't worry about it. If you do, still don't worry. The story will explain it in time. Like it? Hate it? You decide!**


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Calm Before the Storm…

Takato = a character talking normally  
><em>Takato = <em>A character thinking  
><strong>Takato: <strong>= Text message

**3 Months Later….**

RIIING!  
>"Ugh…" Takato groaned as he woke up to his alarm clock. The electronic clock read: 9:00 am.<br>"Meh, not too early, but still…" he muttered as he climbed out of bed. Looking around his dorm room, he quickly found jeans and a red T-shirt. After jumping into the shower, brushing his teeth and changing, he made his way to his calendar.

June 15th  
>"Sweet!" he exclaimed. "Today's the trip!"<br>Takato had been waiting months for this trip. His astronomy class was taking a field trip to the Shinjuku Museum and Planetarium today.  
>He then felt his cell phone vibrate and saw it was Henry.<p>

**Henry: Hey dude. You up for that trip today?  
><strong>**Takato: Hell yeah man, it's gonna be really fun.  
><strong>**Henry: I heard they have a cryogenic chamber for humans that they tested and they claim it works!  
><strong>**Takato: Wait how can they prove that? I mean, the only way to do that is for a human to actually be a test subject and wait for like a year before unfreezing them. Not a very productive year.  
><strong>**Henry: ….Don't put me on the spot! I'm just saying what I heard.  
><strong>**Takato: lol, sorry bout' that. Just curious and all.  
><strong>**Henry: Yeah I get that, well anyway, hurry up man! The bus leaves in 15 minutes on the dot!  
><strong>Takato stopped texting and checked the clock: **9:45 am.**

_Crap! Takato thought. I still need to find something to eat! _

Looking down at his phone, he texted Henry again:  
><strong>Takato: Alright, I'll meet you at there, just gonna find something to eat.<br>****Henry: K, see you.**

He put his phone away, grabbed his wallet, and opened it. Counting the money, he found that he had $133; courtesy of his job at the tavern.  
>His phone vibrated again, and he answered it again:<p>

**Hey Takato!  
><strong>It was Jeri Katou, his other best friend.  
><strong>Takato: Hey Jeri! What's up?<br>****Jeri: Not much, just the fact that YOU HAVEN'T TEXTED ME IN A MONTH!  
><strong>**Takato: Sorry Jeri, I had to get my phone sent in. I was due for an upgrade so I changed to an IPhone. Sorry I didn't tell you.  
><strong>**Jeri: lol, don't worry about it, I'm only joking. You liking the IPhone?  
><strong>**Takato: Yeah, pretty sweet. I actually gotta tell you something, but I need to not be late for my trip with my astronomy class, I'll tell you in a little bit.  
><strong>**Jeri: Sounds great! Have fun Takato!  
><strong>**Takato: Thanks! Talk to you in a bit.**

After pocketing his phone, he checked the time again: **9:52 a.m.**

_Shit Shit Shit! Takato despaired. Argh! I'll just grab something on the way there…_

So he bolted out of his dorm room, flew down the stairs, and made his way to the local café named _Jihatsu-Teki. _(Spontaneous in English)

Quickly ordering an Egg, Sausage and Cheese croissant from the cashier (with some orange juice on the side), he bolted towards the parking lot, thankful that his dorm was not a long way away from the spot where the class was going to meet.

Within a minute, he saw the grey bus come into view, with Henry outside next to it, along with the other kids already heading inside.  
>Seeing Takato, Henry waved:<br>"Hurry up man! The bus is gonna leave at any moment!"  
>Quickly stopping in front of him and catching his breath, he nodded.<br>"Let's….Go." Takato panted.  
>They both made their way to the back of the bus, where luckily, there were empty seats.<br>After sitting down, Henry turned to him.  
>"Dude, you nearly didn't make it this time!" He berated.<br>"Aww lay off, I'm here aren't I?" Takato replied, relaxed.  
>He shrugged, grinning. "Guess so."<br>He took a bit out of his croissant as the bus lurched forward. Taking out his IPhone, he texted Jeri again:

**Takato: I'm back.  
><strong>**Jeri: Alright!  
><strong>**Takato: First and foremost, thanks for recommending me for that job. I needed work somewhere.  
><strong>**Jeri: Ah it's no big deal, we're practically family!  
><strong>**Takato: Ha! I see what you did there.  
><strong>**Jeri: :)**

Takato looked up from his IPhone and bit into his croissant again. He remembered that time when it was discovered that he and Jeri were _cousins. _Apparently, Takato's mother Mie Matsuki was the sister of the now deceased Sakuya Katou (**A/N the name is made up, as I have no knowledge of her real name, and Wikipedia didn't tell me.)** Marriage, of course, had changed Sakuya's last name. This was a secret that Mie_ and _Takehiro had kept from Takato for a long time due to the trauma it caused Mie when Sakuya passed away. But after finding out, he wasn't mad, for he understood and took it well.

But it had surprised Jeri, because she didn't find out this fact until her father got over _his _trauma of his wife's death (Though he had remarried, he still was not the same until much later, when Jeri had grown older). After hearing this, she was angry, but then excited to have Takato as a cousin. Since then, they have become inseparable as can be. The bombshell shocked Henry too, but he got used to it quickly.

After finishing his croissant Takato started on the orange juice and looked down again at his IPhone and replied:

**Takato: By the way, have we tried FaceTime yet?  
><strong>**Jeri: Oh we haven't! Let's try it out!**

**(A/N For those that don't know, FaceTime is a video chat service for Apple devices. Video calling is like Skype.) **

Henry looked on as he video called her, and soon her face appeared on his IPhone. Putting on his headphones on (and giving one to Henry so he could listen in), he smiled and spoke:  
>"Hey Jeri!" Takato spoke<br>"Hi Takato!" she replied.  
>"Nice man!" Henry said. "You got it working!"<br>"So how's your day off?" Takato asked.  
>"Pretty boring actually…" Jeri replied. "I mean, it's warm and everything, but most of my friends are busy. Summer classes I swear…"<p>

He nodded. "I know how that feels…"

Even though he was taking summer classes now, he just wanted to stay ahead of his credits requirement. The astronomy class he was in was a continuation of his last class in the spring. Even though some if it cut into his vacation, he wasn't complaining. He wasn't going every day, and his few classes were fun…mostly.

"Yeah." Jeri replied. "Oh well, I was thinking of sleeping in today, but I woke up feeling so refreshed it was pointless!"  
>Takato smiled. "You do mornings?"<br>"Never! Well most of the time, never." She replied.  
>"Ha, well I was able to wean myself off coffee to get me up in the mornings thanks to those Tai Chi lessons." Henry said<br>"Oh man." Takato replied. "I'm so glad I was able to get into Karate eventually." _Courteously of Henry...  
><em>He looked and saw Jeri smiling.  
>"What?" he asked.<p>

"Nothing!" she replied. "I just remembered the last tournament you fought in…"  
>Both Henry and Takato grinned. "Oh yeah that…"<p>

_FLASHBACK  
><em>_**Tokyo Karate Tournament  
><strong>_"_You got em' Takato!" Henry yelled from the stands.  
><em>"_You can beat him Takato!" Jeri yelled beside him.  
><em>_Takato was in the final round, facing a 'Ryo Akiyama.' Both fighters were wearing white with black belts.  
><em>_The score was tied 3-3, with 4 being the winning point.  
><em>_Before they set to battle position, Ryo spoke:  
><em>"_May the best man win." He said kindly.  
><em>"_Good luck to you too." Takato replied, bowing together.  
><em>_They readied their battle positions, prompting the referee to signal:_

"_Ready? GO!" _

_They danced around each other, looking for an opening. _

_Ryo then delivered a tornado kick, which barely missed Takato's face, suddenly, he saw his opening, almost in slow motion. He saw his momentum beginning to snap back to his default position. As he dodged, he used his own momentum to perform a spinning back kick into Ryo's stomach, sending him backwards and falling.  
><em>"_Ugh!" he groaned, keeling over.  
><em>"_POINT! POINT!" The referee yelled. He grabbed Takato's hand and lifted it into the air.  
><em>

"_WINNER!"_

_Jeri screamed, and Henry cheered. Both of them bolted out into the arena and hugged Takato as the crowd roared…_

_END FLASHBACK_

Takato grinned, ear to ear. He remembered that tournament fondly. That was also the day he and Ryo became friends. He knew even if _he _lost, he would still be friends with him.

Henry then looked out the window.

"Hey man we're here!" he said.  
>As he was saying that, the bus lurched to a halt, and the teacher along with the students started filing out of the bus.<p>

"Gotta go Jeri, we made it." Takato said.  
>"Ok, see ya cuz!" she giggled happily, and the call ended.<br>"I'm so excited!" Takato said happily. "I can't wait to see what they got!"

What Takato and Henry didn't know was that this visit would evolve into a catastrophe of immense proportions…

**Sorry for not updating as frequently, but schoolwork has been piling up, so I haven't been able to write as often. But don't fret, this story will continue, and from here on when the story begins to pick up steam! Like it? Hate it? You decide!**


	5. Chapter 4

**To : I'm glad you caught on to the small 'paradox' there with Takato and Henry. If you look at what I wrote at the end of chapter 2, it gives some detail on what my plan is for that. And yes, in this fic, Jeri and Takato are related. I didn't mean any insult, just wanted to try something new for a change. I mean, the old "love triangle" has become a cliché in many Tamers fics, I wanted to eliminate that variable as soon as possible. The other thing is, I get what you were saying about Ryo and Takato, but your idea is incorrect. That scenario is too predictable.**

**All I can say is that Ryo will not be involved in Takato's love life. I have other plans for him. But the reason why that flashback is put in there was foreshadowing, but it's not as blatant as you think… **

**Oh, and the 'back of the bus' thing, that's nothing. It's just that Takato arrived late so they found the back of the bus empty. Besides, sitting in the back is cool sometimes, but don't take my word for it. Overall though, thanks for reviewing! I appreciate it!**

Chapter 4: Catastrophe

"Wow…" Takato murmured.  
>He was standing in a large museum, packed with exhibits that were all about space. Planets, stars, neutron stars, gamma ray bursts, black holes, Sir Issac Newton's laws of motion, you name it. There was even a model of the International Space Station in the center of the room.<p>

"Alright class." Mr. Joji said. "Since you're all adults, I'm giving you free rein over this museum. This place is large, but there are plenty of guides to help you, plus there are small almanacs here to direct you wherever you want to go. But don't forget to report to the Cryogenics laboratory at 11:00 where they will be showing off the new Cryogenic Pods! That gives you about 40 minutes."

Murmurs of excitement made its way through the crowd, as students quickly split into groups and disappeared, leaving Henry and Takato.  
>"So where do you want to go first?" Henry asked.<br>"Dunno; I always wanted to see what a black hole was like." He replied.  
>"Well you know that's impossible…" Henry started. "Nothing can escape from a black hole, not even light—"<br>"You get what I mean…" Takato interrupted.  
>He grinned. "Yeah yeah, alright let's go."<p>

So they wandered over to a dark room that said "Types of black holes" on the entrance, which contained a medium sized 3D display. Takato pressed a red button on the console in front of it, which churned the display to life. Overhead, they could see a small projection of the universe. Stars were seen twinkling in the 'sky' with a few galaxies that could be seen along with it.

A woman's voice then spoke as a guide:

"_In the ever expanding universe…" the woman started. "There is one anomaly that exists in which nothing, not even light, can escape it."_

As she was saying this, something a large round black sphere appeared and started moving across the sky, distorting the background with its movement.

"Wow…" Henry and Takato said together.

* * *

><p>20 minutes later, both young adults left the dark room, albeit a little awkwardly due to the brightness of the museum when they were in the open light of the museum.<p>

"Arrgh…" Takato groaned, shielding his eyes.  
>"I know…" Henry answered. "Too…bright…"<p>

After blinking and letting their eyes adjust to the light, they looked around.  
>"Hey Henry." Takato said. "Wanna head to the Cryogenics lab first? I know we got time, but god, I'm really interested in that new project."<p>

"Sounds like a plan, these other exhibits are good, but by what I've been hearing, those pods have been tested and have been proven to work in excellent conditions."

So both boys made their way over to the lab, where a few guides were milling around.

The laboratory itself was massive, and it was one of the largest labs in Tokyo. Many incredible experiments had gone on here (A/N Just believe it to be so, ha ha), and the research has produced much results when it came to not just the universe, but for medicine as well.

"Hello there." a young man, older than them greeted.  
>"Hey there." Takato said. "Can you tell us about the Cryogenic Pods?"<br>"Ahh that state-of-the-art masterpiece?" the man asked. "Well of course. Follow me."  
>He turned and started walking towards the center of the lab, prompting the boys to follow.<p>

Soon, they found themselves standing in front of two metal pods lying side by side.

"See here." The man said. "These pods were the first to be tested and the results were excellent! You see, these pods were made years ago in 1991. Many tests were run through these pods around 1993. After many setbacks, they finally tested a real human! (With his approval of course)."

Takato and Henry's eyes widened. _No way!_

"The man's name was Li Staou, the first man to ever be cryogenically frozen and unfrozen! He was frozen in 1995, and unfrozen in 2000. He didn't look a day older than before he was frozen! Basically, a picture of him _before _the test was taken, and then another was taken _after _the test, and the pictures were identical!"

"That's amazing!" Henry answered with awe.

"It is incredible!" the male guide said. "It became a major breakthrough in cryogenics! Now many more possibilities are being considered! Maybe even a way to cure seemingly incurable diseases! In a year like now, we could really use a breakthrough like this in 2008…(**A/N 2002 they were 12 years old according to Wikipedia, so college student is 6 years after)**,"

"So can it withstand anything?" Takato asked.

"Absolutely!" the guide said. "These pods specifically were designed to withstand strong impacts from almost anything! The toughness was tested in a category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean, debris, bullets from an M4, and more!"

Both Takato and Henry looked at each other in astonishment.  
><em>Wow…Takato thought. Never thought they could make something that strong…I wonder if-<em>

Suddenly, the ground started to shake violently beneath their feet.

"What the hell!" Henry yelled. "What's going on!

"E-Earthquake!" the guide yelled. "Get out of here now!"

The boys quickly bolted for the exit, which was very far due to their location in the laboratory. Debris started falling from the ceiling, prompting the boys to cover their heads in fear. At the same time, they saw the ground crack open. Seeing this, they increased their speed.

"Oh man…Oh man…Oh man…" Takato despaired.  
>They saw people running all over the place, some towards the exit, and others towards any means of escape as possible.<p>

"We just need to reach the exit!" Henry yelled. They tried running quicker, but the ground was shaking so violently they constantly had to regain their balance and keep themselves from stumbling.

Suddenly, the ground in front of them split in two and they were forced to jump back.  
>"Gah!" they both yelled. The divided ground in front of them started to rise upwards, too high to climb or jump.<br>"Damn it!" Henry shouted. "We need to find another way out!"  
>They looked quickly, and saw their entire front blocked by fallen debris.<p>

"Wait!" Takato wondered. "Remember what the guide told us about the pods? About how they were tested for toughness?"  
>"Yeah, what's your point?" Henry asked impatiently. But then, he put two and two together, in which his eyes widened in horror.<p>

"HELL NO!" Henry yelled. "That's WAY too crazy of an idea! There is NO WAY that we'll be able t—"  
>Suddenly, more debris started falling from the ceiling, and their situation had turned very perilous to say the least.<br>"Augh!" Henry despaired. "Alright fine! Either that or the debris will kill us!"

Takato nodded, and they raced back to the pods, dodging crevices and debris as it fell. In a short minute, they found the pods still intact, but some debris was covering them.  
>"We're just gonna lay in them until this earthquake stops!" He said.<p>

Quickly working together and pushing the debris off, Henry made his way into a pod.  
>"How do you close this thing!" He asked, scared.<p>

"Uhhh…" Takato looked around and saw a button in between both pods. Not allowing his judgment to catch up to him, he slammed his fist on the button and jumped in the pod.  
>Both pod doors closed, and they lay in the pods, watching the earthquake tear apart the building. Surprisingly, their pods barely moved at all.<p>

_Whew…Takato thought. Hopefully this can hold out against an earthquake…_

Suddenly, mist started spraying into the pod, sending Takato into a fit of coughing.  
>"W-wh-at t-the hell!" Takato coughed heavily. He then started to feel sleepy.<p>

_Gas…that…makes…you sleep? He thought  
><em>He then realized in horror, what he just did.

_Oh…no…no…no… _Takato's vision blurred and the world disappeared in a black tunnel…  
>On the side of both pods, where was an electronic screen that showed the process. Then, the screen blinked a few times, and it read:<p>

START FREEZING PROCESS: June 15th, 2008  
>END FREEZING PROCESS: June 15th 2012.<p>

**Confused? Annoyed? Maybe just a little lost? I understand. Yes, in my quest for spontaneity/unpredictability I kind of had to BS this a little bit. I mean, there's plenty to criticize in this chapter and you have a right to. I mean the fact that an **_**Earthquake **_**forced them to get into the Cryogenic pods? Sounds too convenient. **

**It is, but I wanted that way; plus I couldn't find any real logical reason that they were to **_**BE **_**frozen. I mean, it's not like you can ask your parents to be frozen, or you can just volunteer to be frozen. Some accident or unforeseen circumstance had to have done it.  
><strong>

**One final point: Why would the pods be turned ON in an exhibit! Also, why would ONE button activate it! Well basically, the settings were already programmed into the pods. The exhibit was going to be a demonstration by a few scientists who worked on it. This may not seem right at first, but trust me everything will be explained in time.**

**Hang tight here, now it's going to heat up EVEN FURTHER! Like it? Hate it? You decide!**


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Confusion and Horror

"_Hey Takato?" Henry asked.  
><em>"_Yeah Henry?" He responded.  
><em>"_You ever wonder why the world is the way it is today?"  
><em>"_Huh? What do you mean?"  
><em>"_I mean that there is war, famine, world hunger, poverty, and many crippling societies out there that need help."  
><em>"_You're asking why the world can be a cruel place sometimes?" Takato asked._

"_Yeah, something like that." Henry replied._

_He shrugged. "Maybe it's because of conflicting ideologies. I mean, what we may think is right here in this country, may not translate well to another place. Or maybe it's money. Everyone wants money, just to feel rich or feel important. What do you think?"_

_Henry nodded. "I agree with that. I feel like its power. Maybe it's because people feel constricted or feel repressed in their environment. I guess it's because people want to feel important, or just feel wanted in the real world because they need to give their own lives meaning. But sometimes they end up hurting others by doing so."_

_Takato agreed. "That's true. I guess faith and beliefs have something to do with it too. Ugh, man why does the world have so difficult an answer?"  
><em>"_Bah, if it was easy, we'd all be living better." Henry said. "Besides, talking about politics or religion will lead to a huge argument or fight."_

_Takato chuckled. "Yeah your right. This real world BS is making my head hurt. I want pizza."_

_Henry burst out laughing. "It's always you and your stomach isn't it?"  
><em>"_Hey come on, I'm not the only one here. I haven't eaten real junk food in a while thanks to those damn karate classes."_

_Henry laughed again. "Well that's a sacrifice you gotta take." _

"_Meh, whatever." Takato replied. "Let's go find something to eat…"  
><em>

* * *

><p>Takato slowly opened his eyes. He slowly looked around groggily, and noticed he was laying down in a small space.<p>

"Whe…where am I?" He wondered. His eyes then fully focused and so he looked around. He noticed he had trouble turning his head, or moving any part of his body.

Suddenly, fear took over him.

"_Oh no! I'm paralyzed!" Takato thought in horror. "I'm never gonna get out of here!"_

In desperation, he accidently tried to sit up fast, and bumped his head on the glass.

"OW!" He cried out. His left hand reacted to his movements, and he rubbed his forehead, annoyed. He then moved his right arm up and down, then moved his legs around. Multiple cracks went through his body as the air between his bones popped and released themselves. Soon, Takato was able to move his body again.

"_Good." He thought. "Now how do I-" _

Suddenly, the pod slowly started to open. He looked and noticed that he couldn't see the outside due to debris covering the pod door. Nonetheless, the pod door kept moving upwards, pushing the debris out. Soon, the door had opened completely.

"_Nice!" he thought gladly. "I can see the…sky?"_

He sat up, and noticed that he could see the overcast sky.  
>"Wha-?" Takato wondered aloud. He then noticed the ruins around him.<br>"What the hell!" He yelled.

He looked and saw the "Observatory" was completely gone. The entire building was gone. Ruins littered the ground, and whatever held it up was gone too.

"T-Takato?"

He looked at the other pod, and noticed Henry had woken up.  
>"Henry!" he exclaimed. "What happened here?"<br>"I think…we got frozen in time." He replied grimly.  
>"W-what!" Takato stammered. "H-ho—"<p>

But then he realized how it happened.

_**Flashback**_

_"How do you close this thing!" Henry asked, scared._

_"Uhhh…" Takato looked around and saw a button in between both pods. Not allowing his judgment to catch up to him, he slammed his fist on the button and jumped in the pod. Both pod doors closed, and they lay in the pods, watching the earthquake tear apart the building. Surprisingly, their pods barely moved at all._

_Whew…Takato thought. Hopefully this can hold out against an earthquake…_

_Suddenly, mist started spraying into the pod, sending Takato into a fit of coughing. "W-wh-at t-the hell!" Takato coughed heavily. He then started to feel sleepy._

_Gas…that…makes…you sleep? He thought __He then realized in horror, what he just did._

_Oh…no…no…no… __Takato's vision blurred and the world disappeared in a black tunnel…_

_**End Flashback**_

"Oh no…" Takato moaned. "I did it…It's my fault. I activated the pods…"

Henry's eyes widened in horror.

"Oh…my…GOD!" he yelled. "And the guide said we don't age in the pod…That means…"

They looked at each other in horror.

"Our families!" they shouted together.

They both jumped out of the pods, realizing what potentially transpired.  
>"We didn't age, but <em>THEY <em>did!" Takato exclaimed. "Our family...We've been gone for 4 years! I hope they're alright..."

"Henry…Look." Henry said, pointing past the ruins.

He looked, and saw that the highway was heavily damaged. No cars were on the road, streetlights bent over, emptiness greeted them when they left the ruins of the destroyed observatory.

"Was all of this because of the earthquake?" Henry asked in fear.

"Seems like it." Takato replied. "Wait a minute…But if the earthquake caused this, where's all the people? And why didn't anyone try to stop our freezing process if only the earthquake caused this?"

Henry shook his head. "Hell if I know. But dude, we gotta get home! Our families!"

"Oh yeah!" He replied. "Let's go!"

* * *

><p>They ran down the destroyed street, noticing that all of the stores and restaurants were vacant. Not a single person populated the area. It was like a ghost town.<p>

Takato started to feel very tense.

"_I know earthquakes to major damage, but they don't scare people away completely…" He thought. "Why do I have a feeling that the earthquake didn't cause this?"_

They kept running, as their homes were miles away from where they were. They were lucky, as some of the recognizable structures were still up, albeit very damaged. Soon, they made it to their college.

"No…" Takato moaned.

They college was half gone. Glass littered the grass near the main entrance. Metal and other unrecognizable debris were spread out all over the campus. Windows were smashed in, while large holes were shown punched through some of the walls of the university.

"This doesn't make any sense!" Henry huffed. "An earthquake doesn't cause this!"  
>"Debris from earthquakes also don't last for 4 years…" Takato realized.<p>

"Wait a minute…That's right!" He agreed. "The earthquake happened _FOUR YEARS AGO._ This couldn't have been the earthquake's doing! Something worse happened here!"

The realization struck hard, as now a new fear crept into both young adults' minds.

"_Then what caused all this damage!" Takato thought in horror. "It must've been something really horrible! If it was not the earthquake then WHAT HAPPENED?_


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: More Horrible News

**A/N: I like to apologize earlier I forgot to mention that the Digimon are NOT going to be included in this fic. I decided for this fic at least they will not be included. Don't worry; I'll have plenty more stories with them!**

Takato and Henry bolted down the streets of the destroyed city of Shinjuku, fearing for their families. On the way they noticed graffiti had been sprayed on some of the walls of the destroyed town.  
>"<em>What destruction…!" Takato thought in horror. "I'm not sure I even WANT to find out who or what caused this…"<br>_But it only got worse, as both young adults started finding bodies on the ground.  
>"Ugh!" Henry cried. "What the hell is going on here?"<br>"I don't know, but look!" Takato pointed ahead.

They looked and saw more and more dead bodies littered on the ground.

Completely baffled, Takato could barely think of what could have possibly happened.  
>But then horrible images started to fill his brain. He started imagining his family in the place of these unknown people.<p>

"_NO! NO! I can't think like that!" Takato thought desperately. They're alive! I…know it…  
><em>

But he wasn't sure himself, which really upset him.  
>Soon they made it back to their neighborhood. They decided to split up and look in their family homes for any sign of their loved ones.<p>

Takato ran towards the Matsuki bakery, or at least what was left of it.  
>Debris was everywhere, rubble had been thrown everywhere, and along with most of the walls that were surprisingly still standing, what's worse, it had started to rain.<p>

"MOM! DAD!" Takato yelled out. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

He listened for an answer, but got none.  
>He ran around the ruins of their house and kept calling for them, but every time he didn't get an answer, hopelessness tugged at his heart. Soon he gave up and left the bakery.<p>

The rain pounded the ground hard, and destruction was everywhere; Takato's house, gone. The park, trashed with debris. The bodies of the dead scattered all over the ground.  
><em>How did this happen? Takato thought. Was this inevitable? Did we do this to ourselves?<em>  
>"Takato!" a voice called.<br>He turned towards the wreckage of the Matsuki bakery, Henry was running towards him.  
>"How…" He started, but Takato shook his head.<br>"I don't know…" he stated. "I just don't know what to think anymore…"

"Hey! You too!" another voice called. They both turned, to see a woman, older than they were, holding a gun at them.  
>"Hey!" Takato yelled. "What are you doing?"<br>"Ridding the world of you men." She said harshly. "You destroy this world with your choices. Your wars, your politics, your drive for power, your lust for riches! You make me SICK!"

"RUN TAKATO!" Henry yelled.  
>They both took off in the other direction. Bullets started whizzing by their ears.<p>

"Gah!" Takato yelled, ducking low.  
>Both of them bolted into a run-down drugstore, hiding in the aisles. The woman looked near the store, but didn't go in. She soon moved on.<br>After emerging, Henry and Takato were speechless.  
>"Do you think that's what's been happening? Genocide?" Henry asked worriedly.<br>"I don't know…" Takato said anxiously.

"You're suspicions were right on." A voice said behind them.

They jumped, and whipped around. An elderly man sat there, behind cash register.  
>"Oh…Sorry for coming into your store…" Takato apologized.<br>"No need, I know what's going on out there." The man replied. "My name's Shingi."  
>"Takato." Takato introduced.<br>"Henry." Henry said. "What's going on here?"

"Where were you two?" Shingi asked, curiously. "It happened 4 years ago."  
>Neither Takato nor Henry could tell him that they were unfrozen in a containment unit from 4 years ago. ( <strong>AN I put 5 years in the prologue, it's really 4 years. My bad. Another mistake in the prologue, it said a week ago, but I realized a week ago for all the crap to happen would have not made sense, so I screwed up there, sorry.)**

"Err…" Henry started. But Shingi cut him off.

"No matter." He said. "Anyway, you're both going to be in for a major shock if you don't know what's been going on. Basically, the women feel that us guys are the source of all the world's problems. And their grand scheme…"

"No…" both Henry and Takato said together.

"Is to seek and destroy all traces of the male gender and rid the world of us."

* * *

><p>"You can't be serious!" Takato yelled.<br>"Shh! Be quiet!" Shingi replied crossly. "You want them to hear you?"  
>"How did this happen?" Henry asked.<br>"I don't exactly know ALL the details, but I'll let you know what I know." The elder said. "It all started like this..."

**FLASHBACK/Shingi's tale  
>June 15th, 2008<strong>

"Basically," Shingi started. "My wife Miyoko and I like everyone else here was caught in the traumatic earthquake that struck Japan."

_BREAKING NEWS: The television reporter said. "The intense earthquake that struck Japan was rated an 8.8 on the Richter scale, on of the largest ever recorded in it's history."_

"We were at home just enjoying the day, but when the earthquake struck, we had to evacuate into open area.Miyoko and I were able to escape to a nearby park and avoid most of the destruction. I did get a small scrape on my knee but nothing major. It was what happened after, that caught us off guard."  
>"What happened?" Takato asked.<br>"First, the earthquake lasted about 15 minutes, a very long time." Shingi replied. "But after it was over, we made our way back home, hopefully to salvage some of our belongings from our home which we knew didn't stand much of a chance. But then we saw a swarm of people running past us screaming and yelling. At first we thought it was an aftershock, but it was much worse than that."

"Worse...?" Henry wondered.  
>Shingi nodded. "We both started running with the crowd so we would avoid whatever it was they were running from. Even though we didn't know what exactly we were running from, we didn't want to wait around to find out. I asked a man who was running beside me what they were running from. And he told me the strangest thing I have ever heard in all my years."<p>

"Which was...?" Takato asked.  
>"' A deadly swarm of women troops are invading the city.'" Shingi replied.<br>**SHINGI'S TALE INTERRUPTED**

"Wait a minute..." Henry interrupted. "Didn't someone tell us about this...Someone claimed it was a warning to something inevitable?"  
>Takato racked his brains and started thinking of the last few months he remembered (In this case years). Finally, it hit him.<p>

"Oh my God..." He realized. "Sho!"  
>Henry's eyes widened in horror. "Oh God he was right..."<br>**FLASHBACK OF SHO**

_"But is a small riot of women such a big deal?" Takato asked_

_"It is, and it's a bigger deal than most people think." Sho replied. "Sure, right now it seems like a small idiotic riot of extremists, and normally I wouldn't be worried, if there wasn't proof of this before."_

_"What do you mean?" Henry wondered._

_"There has been evidence from past generations about a day like this." Sho said. "If you look up on the wall of papers, you can find my evidence of events like this."_  
><em>Both Takato and Henry looked up, and started reading. One article spoke of a women's yoga group that met in multiple countries. Another stated of a large woman's organization to fight for women righ<em>ts.

_Takato put the packet down, he just couldn't read anymore._  
><em>"This is crazy!" He said. "There's no way that something like this could happen! It's too—"<em>  
><em>"Large scale? Impossible? Unlikely?" Sho finished. "I know, I reacted the same way you did Takato, but this really is happening right now."<em>  
><em>"I have a lot of doubts about something like this." Henry said. "I mean, this is all very radical stuff here. How do you expect us to believe this blindly?"<em>

_Sho sighed. "I had a feeling that you guys wouldn't believe me. Well that doesn't matter right now. I understand your point of views and I'm not annoyed. But look, when things start to happen, and you need help, call me. Take this with you."_

**END FLASHBACK**

Unconsciously Takato had reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, surprisingly still stable from the cryogenic pod. He opened it and pulled out the business card:

**Sho Junko: Gender Historian #792-445-1125 **

_"It's unlikely this number still works..." He thought unhappily._  
>He then returned the card to his wallet, then to his pocket.<p>

"Sorry for the interruption, please continue." Takato urged.

Shingi nodded.

**Shingi's Tale**

"After I heard that statement, I thought he was crazy." Shingi said. "But I then looked behind me and sure enough, I could see a large battalion of women in soldier's uniforms marching our way. I couldn't believe my eyes when i saw it, but it made me wonder what the hell is going on here?"

"Miyoko was not faring much better." Shingi said. "She looked my way and asked:"

"_What is happening Shingi?" Miyoko asked._

_"I don't know Miyoko." He replied. "For now, we keep running."_  
>As we ran, we then started hearing explosions around us. We looked and saw fighter jets flying at high speeds through the air, dropping bombs on buildings around us. It was total chaos. But even that wasn't the worst of it all..."<p>

"What could possibly be worse?" Takato asked anxiously.  
>"The very next thing that happened was the worst." Shingi said darkly. "The women army was gaining on us, so after we saw the explosions when we kept running, another explosion occurred in the middle of the crowd that we were running in. The blast knocked us off our feet and separated us."<p>

_"Miyoko? MIYOKO!" I had yelled, looking for her in the rubble that had sprayed around. _

_"SHINGI!" Miyoko yelled. _

_Shingi turned, and saw Miyoko sprawled on the ground a few feet away._

_"MIYOKO!" Shingi yelled, and started running towards her.  
><em>"That's when I saw a grenade drop and roll in front of her, and I knew what was coming next." Shingi said even darker.

"I saw her slowly smile, and hold up her hand with her wedding ring, a tear ran from her right eye, and before I could react, a fiery explosion suddenly erupted around Miyako and enveloped her. And just like that, she was gone."

**Well well, it looks like we've reached the prologue; at least where the prologue led us. Sorry for not updating in some time, a load of studying and schoolwork kept me busy :\ And now we get Shingi's backstory, as well as the first part of what Takato and Henry missed while they were frozen. More on the way! Like it? Hate it? You decide!**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Now You Know.

"No…" Takato breathed as Shingi finished his story.

"Unfortunately it is true." He said. "After that, I fled. Hid in my house for days. I bolted the doors and windows, but left some space for me to at least look and see what was going on."  
>"And…what happened after that?" Henry asked cautiously.<br>"Since that day, the invasion spread all over the world." Shingi replied. "It was chaos, many apartment buildings were destroyed, and cities ravaged with riots, even massacres were common. My house got damaged but not destroyed. I came here to find food, for my supplies were running low. So now you're up to speed."

Takato and Henry looked at each other, unable to make a sound.  
>"<em>So it's true…" Takato thought despairingly. "It really did happen…Sho was right all along…"<br>_"But I don't think the people just capitulated right? They would have had to have fought back?" Henry asked.  
>"They did, and most of them failed." Shingi responded darkly. "A lot of the men tried to fight back, but many of them were killed. The rest scattered. There are rumors that resistance groups have formed to try to combat the threat, but they're just rumors. What else I've heard was that not all women had joined together into one entity, like the one you saw attacked you. Some did not agree on their reasoning and resisted also."<p>

"Really…" Takato wondered. "Maybe they can help us?"

"With what?" Shingi asked.  
>"Henry and I need to find our families!" Takato said. "Do you have any idea where they might be?"<br>Shingi thought for a moment, then spoke:  
>"If they're still alive, they're most likely holed up in a camp, but none of those camps exist here in Japan." Shingi said. "Any prisoners that were captured here were transported to China."<p>

Both Henry and Takato's hearts sank. _"China? Are you serious?"  
><em>"Why were they moved to China?" Takato asked in disbelief.  
>"Not enough room on this large island." Shingi said. "There are some camps here, but they are prisoners from <em>other <em>countries. Why they separated and moved prisoners like that I have no idea."  
>"Oh no…" Henry spoke. "How are we supposed to reach China without being caught?"<br>"I'm sorry kid, I can't help you there." Shingi said.  
>Takato then thought for a moment, and took out his wallet again. He looked at Sho's business card.<p>

"_Maybe…just maybe…" _he thought.  
>He took out his IPhone and dialed the number.<br>"Takato?" Henry wondered.

There was a dial tone!

The phone rang and rang, until finally…  
><em>Click<br>_"Hello?" a voice answered.  
>"Sho! Is that you?" Takato asked.<br>"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" the voice asked.  
>"It's me Takato! You know, you invited me and Henry into your apartment and showed us the research you did!"<br>"T-Takato!" Sho stammered. "You're _alive_? How?"  
>"Long story, look where are you?"<br>"I'm at home, 33rd Yanjin Street, Shinjuku." Sho replied.  
>"We need your help." Takato said. "We need to get to China, Henry and I need to rescue our families!"<p>

"Ah man, so your family was captured too huh?" Sho replied. "Well I don't think you'll be able to reach here without being caught. It's been a hellhole here."  
>"Well we gotta try!" He replied. "We can't just stay here and let them find us, we need some form of help!"<p>

"…" Sho thought for a moment, then answered. "Alright, if you sneak down Shayko Street using the back alleys, you should be safe. I can help you find your family."

"Alright, we'll see you soon."  
>He hung up and turned to Henry.<p>

"Good news." Takato said. "We may have found a way to find our families!"  
>"Go on, I'll be alright." Shingi said nodding.<br>"Are you sure? I don't like the fact you'll be here alone with this place all crazy like it is now." Henry replied, worried.  
>"No need to worry, remember I have a place to hide." He said. "Good luck you too."<p>

"Thanks." Takato said. "Let's go Henry."

With that, they snuck through the wreckage of the convenience store and into the street.

* * *

><p>"See anybody?" Takato asked as they turned a street corner into Shayko.<p>

"Yeah, two of them." Henry said as they hid in a dark alley. Night was falling, and they knew not much time was left before any lights would come on, and if that were to happen…  
>Takato looked and saw two uniformed women patrolling the street. The street itself wasn't very big, and the neighborhood was pretty small. They were one street away from reaching Yanjin.<p>

"_Hmm…" Takato wondered. "Why are they patrolling a street?" _He looked at the ground and saw a trashcan. And idea in mind, he whispered to Henry, who nodded. Takato lifted the lid slowly, and then looked around. He saw another alley a few feet away from them with a cat rifling through another garbage can.

Using all of his strength, he threw the lid into the other alley, causing a racket.

CRASH!  
>"MEOW!" the cat screeched and ran out into the street.<br>"Huh?" both women turned and ran towards the now vacant alley, not noticing the two boys sneak past them and into Yanjin Street.

* * *

><p>"22…24…30…33!" Takato exclaimed, running up the steps to the brown door. He was about to knock when he realized something.<br>"_Wait…knowing Sho, he wouldn't want to open up to anybody especially in a time like this." Takato thought.  
><em>Henry came up next to him. "I think it's best we call him and let him know we're here."

Agreeing, Takato took out his IPhone. He started dialing when he saw his IPhone was almost dead. He quickly dialed all the numbers and waited.  
>"Takato? You here?" Sho's voice filled the device.<br>"Yeah we're outside."  
>"Aright, I'll let you in." Sho replied.<br>The door opened, and Shingi stood there, only he looked different.

"What the?" Henry asked. "Sho you look older!"

They could see that Sho's hair had grown longer, and his height had risen too.  
>"And you look the same!" Sho replied, astonished. "Quick, come in before we attract attention!"<p>

* * *

><p>"So tell me, what happened to you and Henry after you left my apartment?" Sho asked.<br>They had sat down on a couch near a coffee table that had a cup holder on it  
>"Well basically a few months went by like normal in college." Takato said. "Then me and Henry went on a field trip to the Planetarium."<br>"Then an Earthquake struck and nearly destroyed the place." Henry continued. "We got this crazy idea to hide in the cryogenic pods that they were displaying because one the exit was blocked, and two we were told that they can withstand catastrophes such as this."

Sho looked impressed. "Wow, hiding inside those pods was clever. Those things saved your lives."

Takato nodded. "But we accidently activated them, and we got frozen in those pods for 4 years!"  
>Sho's eyebrows rose. "FOUR years? That's insane! No wonder you two look the same, neither of you has aged!"<br>"Yeah, and Shingi told us the whole story about what happened after." Henry said.

"Shingi?" Sho wondered.

"A man we met." Henry added.  
>"What about you?" Takato asked. "What did you do when all hell broke loose?"<br>"Simple, I hid here." Sho said. "It may sound crazy, but if you notice, this neighborhood was a slum, a ghetto if you will. When this disaster happened, maybe people here fled, but this place was rundown. There was really no reason to look here. Besides, this is my house."  
>"But that still seems a little far-fetched." Henry said. "I mean, they're bound to look everywhere for people to find."<p>

"True, that's why I put a 'foreclosed' sign on the door." Sho said confidently. "Think about it, if a house is foreclosed, no one would be living in it. I had removed it since, but that's a small detail they'll ignore."  
>"Wow." Takato said. "Anyway, did you say that you may have found a way for us to find our families?"<br>Sho nodded. "I have. What did Shingi tell you about this disaster?"

"That it happened right after the earthquake and there were rumors of resistance." Henry said.

"Oh they're not rumors, they're real." Sho replied. "Groups all over the world have been forming to counter this group. Since you've been gone for 4 years they're gathering up strength. I've been lying low and communicating with one of them for a while. That group exists here in Japan, but it's the only one."

"Really? They actually exist?" Takato asked, excitedly.

"Indeed they do." He said. "Haneda airport in Tokyo is controlled by that group. They've been smuggling prisoners away and sending them to secure bases where other rebel groups bring them in. There's a rebel group in China who's been trying to hit a camp in Beijing. Reports indicate that that is where most of the prisoners captured here in Shinjuku are being held."

"Great! We got a lead!" Henry said excitedly.  
>"Ugh, thank God." Takato agreed.<p>

"I must warn you though." Sho said darkly. "It will be dangerous; some prisoners who escaped were caught and killed on the spot. I can help you to Haneda, but from then on, you'll be on your own, and you may have to ask for help from the rebel group."  
>"That's fine, it's all we need anyway." Takato replied. "So you can sneak us to Haneda?"<br>"Not me, my girlfriend can." Sho corrected. "I can't be seen either, but she can. She's fighting for the resistance too. Come on out Emily."

A woman, the same age as Sho with brunette hair and blue eyes emerged from a door near the basement.  
>"Emily, meet Takato and Henry." Sho introduced.<p>

"Nice to meet you both, so I heard you're both trying to find your families?" Emily greeted.

"Will you help us?" Takato asked urgently.  
>She reached into her pocket and pulled out a pair of keys.<p>

"You ready?" she asked.

**Oh my finals are finally over! Now these chapters are going to be coming out much more often! So enjoy this chapter and more will be coming soon!**


	9. Chapter 8

**To JohnCofMars: I get your problem, but I didn't necessarily say that everything was in rubble exactly. I said there was much damage, but also note that some years have passed, and even though I didn't mention it in the previous chapters, they wouldn't exactly leave it completely gone. Sure some things would be neglected, but not everything would be rundown and destroyed. I also liked that atmosphere. Overall, it's just setting. And yes it does seem unlikely that the line would still work, but you think about it, even in a tough time like this, 4 years is not very long. Sure numbers can change, but many numbers remain the same in a moderate timespan. And it's not like any futuristic change has taken place either. Yes it's true there are ruins, but it's no wasteland where nothing works. I may have overdone the "destruction" part, but not everywhere is like this, as you will see later on…and trust me, I'm not going to bring in many new characters. If they are introduced, they won't alter the plot much, or maybe they will, but it won't be the main focus. Overall, thanks for your feedback.**

_**Note: The suggestive language is going to get stronger from here on out, so YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!**_

Chapter 8: Not Easy

Takato and Henry sat in the trunk of Emily's van, looking through the compartment that holds the cup holders. A small switch from both sides that connect the back seats to the trunk can open it. Despite the bumpy ride, both boys stayed completely still and quiet, for neither of them wanted to move a muscle or utter a sound. They were hidden under a sheet in which a few layers of blankets sat on top with boxes around them.

What both boys saw was that after a bit more than 10 minutes of driving, there were no ruins on the highway. In fact, it looked very clean. Also, as they neared the Greater Tokyo Area, they found a very bustling city like normal, but their view was obscured thus not allowing for much sight.  
>"Wow…" Takato whispered. "It looks…"<br>"Normal." Henry finished. "And that's what scares me…"

"Quick shut the compartment and hide, we're coming near a checkpoint." Emily whispered.  
>Obliging, they shut the compartment and hit under the blankets.<br>Soon they felt the car lurch to a stop, where they started to hear voices.  
>"Why hello Emily." A woman's voice spoke.<br>"Hey there Jen." Emily replied. "Just heading to the shopping area to pick up some stuff, plus I'm meeting someone at the airport, friend of mine."  
>"Airport? You mean Haneda airport?" Jen asked nervously.<br>"That's the one, why, should I be worried about it?" Emily asked innocently  
>"Well there've been rumors that it was taken over by some group…" she said.<br>Emily shrugged. "I don't know, I went there a few weeks ago and I came out fine."

"Sounds reasonable, but we still have to search your car." Another woman's voice responded.  
>"Come on, I've worked in this district for 8 years and you still don't trust me Steph?"<br>"Well technically you've been free for 4." Steph replied.

Emily laughed. "Same shit, it's not like I ever rubbed you wrong."  
>"Common procedure." Steph replied. "Open your trunk."<br>Takato and Henry froze. They knew that death was peering at them closely. If they were found out, that was it, life over.  
>"<em>Please don't see us please don't see us please don't see us…" Takato thought desperately.<br>_"Alright then…" she replied, and hit a switch, making a 'click' sound behind the car.  
>They then heard the trunk open, and all they could to is wait.<p>

"Why are these boxes nailed down?" Jen asked.

"Old habit of mine." Emily replied. "When I was younger, earthquakes used to strike frequently. And I mean frequently, it was so bad the stuff I brought in the car would shake and rattle, causing some of them to break. Remember that time I told you about when I was little?"  
>Takato then realized that if the boxes were nailed down, they couldn't move them so they can't reach the blankets, meaning…<br>"Well, you're good." Steph said, shutting the trunk. "And I thought you were hiding something…"  
>"Bullshit." Emily laughed. "Was nice seeing you two again."<br>"So long Emily." Jen said.

Emily then started the van and drove off toward Haneda.  
>After 20 minutes, Takato regained the courage to speak again.<br>"Close one." He said.  
>Emily chuckled. "Yeah, that excuse was complete ass from the beginning."<br>Soon they could see the circular buildings and terminals of Haneda airport come into view.  
>"You guys can climb into the middle seats, it's rebel territory from here on out." Emily said.<p>

So both boys opened the compartment, then pushed the seats down, enabling them to climb into the middle seats, away from the back.  
>"Ugh thank god." Takato said. "It was getting really hot and cramped back there."<br>"There's just something a little strange about that encounter though…" Emily wondered.  
>"Really?" Henry asked. "What's that?"<br>"It's just that they didn't exactly try hard to search the trunk and…Uh oh."  
>"What, what is it?" Takato asked urgently.<br>"We're—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the entire trunk erupted in flames. A powerful force ripped through the back seats, causing the car to flip over.  
>"Grrragggghh!" Takato and Henry yelled.<br>"Whaa? Ahh!" Emily cried out.  
>The car was soon flipped on its side, causing Henry and Takato to jerk forward and slam into the airbags that deployed in front of them, leaving them weak and dazed. Emily's airbag opened up as well, keeping her alert.<br>"Takato! Henry!" she yelled.

Suddenly, the car doors were ripped open and a dozen female troops surrounded the car.  
>"Get out, now." One of them commanded.<p>

Emily slowly unbuckled her seat belt, still a little dazed from the impact, and reached towards Takato and Henry.  
>"Don't touch them!" she yelled. "You two! Unbuckle them and make them stand on the street!"<br>So two women unbuckled the two boys and forced them onto the street. Being weak from the impacts, both Takato and Henry could barely stand.

"Harboring fugitives colleague?" Steph's voice sounded. "I thought you were better than this. Bah! Forget it! Have her stand next to the boys!"  
>Soon she was forced to stand next to Takato and Henry. They looked and were surrounded by 12 guns pointing at them.<br>"Well what are you waiting for? End this now!" Steph yelled.  
>They took aim at the three.<br>"I'm sorry…Emily, Henry…" Takato said sadly. "I guess…"  
>"Ready…" Steph ordered.<br>"This…is where…it ends?" Henry asked. "Yeah guess so…"  
>"I'm so sorry you two…" Emily said despairingly. "This is my fault, I saw that we were being followed but didn't really suspect anything…"<p>

"Aim…"  
>"It's not your fault." Takato said. "You couldn't have known."<br>"FIRE!"  
>Takato shut his eyes, seeing nothing but blackness. He could feel his body beginning to buckle under the strain from the impacts.<br>He heard loud bangs all around him. But surprisingly felt nothing.  
>"<em>Death is this painless?" He thought. "Maybe they got me in the head and it was quick…"<br>_But then he opened his eyes, and saw that all the solders, including Steph, were on the ground motionless.  
>"Wha…?" Takato uttered, he then looked and saw other soldiers with their guns out. But this time he saw a mix of men and women walking towards them.<p>

"Takato." Henry whispered weakly. "I think…these…are the rebels.""Oh my God…" Emily said. "It is them!"  
>"Great…" was all Takato could say before he fell unconscious.<p>

* * *

><p>"Guoooo…." Takato moaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He didn't open them all the way for he noticed he was in a bright room.<br>Eventually his eyes adjusted, and he sat up. He looked around and saw he on a small bed, and in a small room.  
>"Where am I?" he muttered. He looked out the window and saw taxis on the ground, as well as shuttle buses picking up people and leaving, then others arriving. He also saw a few signs:<p>

**FLIGHT 113 To Seoul: 7:40 p.m.  
><strong>**FLIGHT 988 To Moscow: 11:34 pm.**

"Wha…?" Takato stuttered. "I'm in an airport!"  
>"Haneda, to be more exact." A man's voice spoke behind him.<br>He whipped around, which was not a good idea for he still felt light-headed. He stumbled a little bit, almost losing his balance.  
>"Whoa there!" The man rushed to Takato and settled him back on his bed. "Careful, you had a moderate concussion. Don't worry you'll be fine in a few days, just some rest will be fine."<p>

"H-how did I get here? And who are you? Where are my friends? Where is Emily?" Takato spoke quickly.

"Slow down." The man replied. "First off, you were rescued from the women guards when your van exploded. You were brought to Haneda because this airport has been a secure base for rebels. We've set up a hospital here and have been treating any escaped prisoners. Third, my name is Doctor Willard Chang. Don't worry, by what your friend Henry has been telling me, my name won't be very important. Lastly, Emily is going to be fine. She was in shock, but she's better now. They're both awake if you want to talk to them.

"I'd like to." Takato said.

* * *

><p>"Takato, glad you're okay!" Henry said happily.<br>He gave him a quick hi-five and sat next to him on his bed.  
>"My God, so we somehow dodged a bullet, literally." He said.<br>"Yeah." Takato said. "I'm just worried now about Emily. I mean, now that they know she's working for the resistance…"  
>"You think Sho might be in trouble too?" Henry asked. "Yeah I felt the same way. We should tell Emily."<br>"No need." Emily's voice echoed from the doorway. Both boys looked, and saw Emily standing there holding a small bottle of pills.  
>"Emily! You look well!" Takato said.<p>

She chuckled. "Been better, but this isn't so bad. Anyway, I called Sho on the phone earlier, and besides almost going into a fit about me almost dying, he understands and is going to evacuate."  
>"Evacuate? How is he gonna do that?" Henry asked. "He's bound to be caught!"<br>"Don't worry." Emily said. "He told me he's found a way, and he'll be coming here sometime soon.  
>"That's good." Henry said. "But I gotta ask you, what caused the explosion in the van?"<br>"A bomb was set in the trunk." Emily replied darkly. "They must've saw through my lame excuse for the bolted down boxes for them not being able to reach you in the blankets. The debris from the trunk confirms this. They set the bomb in the van and followed us and waited for it to go off."  
>"Wow..." Takato said.<p>

"Oh yeah and also." Emily said. "Sho told me to relay a message to you."  
>"What did he say?" Takato asked.<br>"Don't wait for me, get on the next flight to China and get out. With that attack, it may get more hellish from here on. Just get out."  
>"What? We can't just leave! We gotta see him off—" Henry started<br>"He said he thought you'd say that." Emily interrupted. "He also says not to worry, he'll be happier if you left ASAP. He says he's happy that he met you too."

"But—" Takato started.  
>"Go. You'll only endanger yourselves. Trust us, me and Sho can take care of ourselves."<br>Both boys sighed.

"Alright." Takato said. "Let's go."

"Thanks for all your help Emily." Henry added. "Tell Sho we're grateful of his help too, without him, we'd probably be dead."

"I will, now go." Emily said.

"One more thing." Takato asked. "Do we have to pay for a flight out of here?"

"Come on." Emily replied cheekily. "You're trying to survive, get your family back, and try to live again, and you're worried about airfare?"

**Ah yes! Another chapter done! And next chapter will have what many of you been waiting for: Rukato! Stay tuned! **


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Stress Buster

**WARNING! LEMON SCENE IN THIS CHAPTER! (Also strong language)**

Takato and Henry made their way to the main airport, where they can see troops with guns herding people to multiple areas of the terminal. Much chatter was going through the building as people kept walking around.  
>Both boys made their way to a desk where an attendant was there.<br>"Excuse me, but when's the next flight to China?" Takato asked.  
>"Quite an average question for such a tough trip huh?" the woman asked.<br>"Just tell us when!" he snapped.  
>"Easy." She said. "Alright, the next main flight to Tenji Base is at 9:30 p.m.<p>

"Three hours!" Henry asked despairingly. "There is nothing earlier?"  
>"Unfortunately we do not." She said. "If you want to board, head to the admissions booth and they'll assign you."Argh. Alright." Takato said getting their tickets, they sat at the waiting chairs near the boarding terminal.<br>"God this is horseshit!" Takato cried angrily. "THREE hours! And Emily said things were gonna get hectic soon! What do you think she meant by that?"  
>"Probably a fight." Henry replied. "Now that there was a so-called skirmish, it could provoke a response, and it could get ugly."<p>

"Argh. Again." Takato said frustratingly. "Could we ever get a break? I haven't even slept since we found ourselves in this hellhole!"  
>"Try living in this crap." A voice said next to him.<br>Takato looked to the seat next to him and saw a red-haired girl in jeans wearing a white and green shirt with a blue heart on it.  
>"This day has been absolute shit, don't think you've had worse." He said angrily.<br>"Oh really?" the red-haired girl replied, her voice rising. "I bet my shitty life is worse than yours!"  
>"Oh shut up. You have no idea." Takato scoffed.<br>"Takato come on, calm down!" Henry tried to reason.  
>"F*ck off!" she yelled. "I've been experimented on for months by those f*ckin women! I mean, why me? What did I do to deserve such crap treatment? NOTHING!"<p>

No one was paying any attention; as arguments like these tend to be commonplace.  
>Takato stood up. "Oh really? How about being caught in an earthquake, being frozen for four years, waking up in a shitty world, having your family abducted, and nearly being killed TWICE, huh? Well?"<br>"Trust me, I haven't had the most rosy time either genius." She replied.  
>"God I just can't take this!" Takato exclaimed. "Me and Henry just can't get a break! Something has to go wrong every time! I just…I just…want to blow off steam!"<br>"You ain't the only one!" the red-haired girl cried. "God…"

They looked at each other. Then their eyes widened; Henry was confused on why they looked surprised, but then put two and two together quickly.

"I don't thi—"

Suddenly, both young adults' lips slammed together. Takato quickly wrapped his arms around the girl's back. The red-haired girl responded by placing two hands under his shirt, feeling his gentle skin.  
>Takato moaned, drawing a few guards his way.<br>"Hey! That's enough!" one of them ordered. "This is a public area!"

They quickly broke their make-out session.

"S-sorry…" Takato apologized. "Just…heat of the moment."  
>Both guards shoot their heads and left.<br>The girl snuck an arm under his shirt.  
>"S-somewhere else." She said. "I can't…let this feeling go by…too stressed."<br>"Y-yeah…" Takato said.  
>Henry buried his face in his hands. "Ugh, just get it over with, we got 3 hours…" <p>

* * *

><p><strong>DOUBLE WARNING! LEMON SCENE STARTS NOW!<strong>

The old room where Takato woke up burst open, and both of them bolted into it, slamming the door and locking it. Takato pushed the girl on her back on top of the bed, kissing every inch of skin on her face.  
>Takato didn't care that he didn't know this girl, or that the feeling was completely spontaneous, but he felt he needed this. After the horrible day he had, he just wanted to let go at least for a bit.<br>"_I just want to let it all out…" _Takato thought as he started feeling under her shirt. He could also see (or feel) that she wasn't wearing a bra. He started stroking her breasts fondly, emitting loud moans from the red-haired girl. She responded by placing her hands on his bottom and stroking it. She too, felt she needed this.

"_I just want to get rid of this tension…" she thought. "He is…uhh kinda cute…"_

Her moans grew louder as his firm grip tightened on her breasts. She then unzipped his jeans and pushed them off. Takato then took both sides of her shirt and pulled it clean off, revealing her whole topside bare.  
>Soon they were both naked under the sheet. And they weren't through yet.<br>"Before we, you know." Takato started. "What's your name?"  
>"Rika." She said. "Rika Nonaka. Yours?"<br>"Takato Matsuki." He replied.  
>"Ahh I get it." Rika said. "You want to scream my name out when we finish huh?"<p>

He blushed. "Ha ha good one. I just wanted to know your name before I screw you you know."  
>"We'll see how good you are." Rika challenged.<br>Both of them were breaking every single barrier and violating every single thought they had, but they didn't care. They just wanted each other this once.  
>"Do it." She said.<br>So Takato slid into her slowly, emitting louder moans from the flaming haired girl.

"Ohhh…" she groaned. "You didn't even start…"

Takato choked out a small chuckle. "Glad I don't suck."  
>He then started pumping slowly, increasing the moans each thrust from her.<br>Something clicked on her brain, and she wanted more.  
>"Harder…more…more…" she moaned.<br>He increased his strength and went faster, enabling screams from her.  
>"God damn it more! MORE!" she yelled out.<br>Takato started panting. _"My god…didn't know…how…much…this drains you…"  
><em>He closed in on her with a kiss, making her moan in ecstasy.

Her nails raked across his back, encouraging Takato to go even faster.  
>"Ohhh Oh Takato!" she cried out.<br>"Oh Rika!" he yelled in response. Soon, he felt it, and he finished her off with a loud moan.  
>"Guh…" she panted loudly. "Ohhhh."<br>"I…yeah…" Takato couldn't really find any words to speak.  
>"So…where are you heading?" Rika asked.<br>Takato chuckled, falling next to her. "China. I'm getting my family back."  
>Rika sidled next to him. "The Beijing camp? That's where I'm going, for the same reason."<p>

Takato turned to her. "You have family trapped there too?"

"Yeah." She breathed. "My mother and grandmother. Sounds a bit odd that they would be imprisoned, but they both opposed this 'thing' going on, and they were captured."  
>"What about you?" Takato said. "What happened to you?"<p>

"I was captured also." Rika replied. "But I was taken to a laboratory to be experimented on. They said 'if they don't follow the new order this will be there punishment' by using me for experiments."  
>"That's horrible!" he exclaimed. "What did they do to you?"<br>"Well they only got one experiment in actually." She said. "They apparently found a serum that stops aging. The thing is, many subjects died because of it and it wasn't perfected. They tested it on me, and found out it worked very well for me, but it was temporary. I was monitored for four years. Then the serum died because my body developed antibodies for it and destroyed it, and I started aging again. All that biology bullshit of why my antibodies were developed so late I ignored. But when that happened, I managed to escape due to a raid."

"A raid?" Takato asked.

"Yea." She replied. "A band of rebels attacked the lab and caused major disruption among the security. So I found my opening and took it. I escaped the lab a few days ago, and found my way here. I learned about the prisoners in Beijing and decided to hop a plane there."  
>"Huh, a bit similar to my and Henry's story." He said.<br>"So what's your tale?" Rika asked.  
>He relayed to her a summary, of how he and Henry were almost killed by an earthquake, to escaping in the pods, being frozen, then being attacked by a woman, Shingi's story, meeting Sho again, the van blowing up, then finally being rescued.<p>

"Damn." Rika said. "Well I guess that means we're heading to the same place."  
>"Yeah." Takato said. "Maybe we could find them together."<br>"Sounds good, there's really no friends I've met here for a long time anyway." Rika said. "What time is it?"  
>He looked at the clock on the wall: <strong>8:20 p.m.<br>**"We got 40 minutes till the flight takes off." Takato said.  
>"Well I guess it's time to go then." Rika said.<p>

He nodded, and started redressing.  
>"By the way." Rika started.<br>"Hmm?" Takato wondered.  
>"Umm…thanks for the sex." She said, and then quickly got back to dressing.<br>"_Thanks for the sex?" Takato_ thought. But then he understood _"Ah I get it."  
><em>"You're…welcome." He said awkwardly. "Maybe…we could—"  
>"Do it again sometime?" Rika finished, smiling. "I barely know you you know."<p>

"Yeah…" Takato said a little down.  
>"Hey, it's not like we're going our separate ways." Rika said. "We're probably going to be together for the next few weeks. Another round would probably be too irresistible."<p>

He chuckled. "True."

* * *

><p>"Where were you guys!" Henry asked crossly. "They're gonna start boarding at anytime!"<br>"Cool it orange boy." Rika replied.  
>"Don't make fun of my shirt!" he said annoyed.<br>Takato chuckled. "Sorry Henry, kinda took a little too long."  
>"Yeah well." He lowered to a whisper. "The next time you're going to bone someone, leave a little warning first alright? You just ran off and played twister and disappeared!"<p>

Takato laughed. "Alright alright I will."

Suddenly the PA blared on:

"**Flight 255 to Beijing will be deporting momentarily, please begin boarding."**

"Well, this is it." Henry said.  
>"You ready?" Takato asked.<br>"Always." Rika replied.

The three of them walked to the attendant, handed them their boarding passes, and boarded the airline. From this point on, things were going to change, and not always for the better. Now, a whole new land, literally, is waiting for them in Beijing.

**Looks like I pulled that Rukato out of the air huh? Haha oh well, at least finally we get Rika after 8 chapters! More on the way!**


	11. Chapter 10

**First off, I'm sorry I didn't notify you all about me being absent for 3 weeks! I owe you all a large apology! My family and I went to Peru all through June and I really need to get my priorities in order!**

Chapter 10: On the Way There

Takato looked out his window seat and at the right wing of the airplane into the night. The lights of the airport made it look very beautiful. As for the airline itself, this airplane was a little different from most of the other airlines he had been on. This plane was divided into two sections of three seats, with one walkway in the middle. Things have been strangely smooth since the ambush, for everyone had boarded quickly, the safety procedures went flawlessly, and the airplane was beginning to taxi to the runway.  
>However, he couldn't stop thinking about what Emily had said about a possible skirmish before the plane took off.<br>"_With that attack, it may get more hellish from here on."_ Emily's voice sounded in his head.  
>He looked away from the window and at the seat in front of him. A man in front of him was already asleep.<br>"_Lucky, I wish I could fall asleep that easily, especially at this time…" he thought miserably.  
><em>"You alright Takato?" Henry asked him a seat next to Rika.

Rika, next to him, also turned to him.

"We barely moved and you're sick already?" She chastised.  
>"No! I'm fine." Takato insisted. "Just feel a little eerie that this is going a little bit smoother than expect it.<br>"Don't question it, embrace it." Rika replied. "Be glad things are going well, for now at least."  
>He shrugged. "Guess so."<br>Takato looked outside again, and saw a sliver of the runway. They had taxied and were now ready to take off.

A man's voice then sounded through the speakers:

"This is your captain speaking." The voice said. "Welcome aboard, the runway will now be cleared and we should be off any moment no—what the? Oh my god!"  
>The captain's voice suddenly turned frightful. Murmurs started going around the cabin, with panicked whispers flying around.<br>Takato suddenly started to hear gunshots and explosions rattling in the distance. He moved his gaze to the airport, eyes widening.  
>"Look!" he pointed, gesturing Rika and Henry.<br>Both of them leaned at the window and saw a frightening sight. Fires had broken out at some of the terminals, and by the glow of the fires in the night they could see women guards moving in, firing nonstop.

Immediately, the rebels struck back by returning fire at them. Bullets struck a large unit of women guards and forced them to scatter.  
>One of the women looked at the plane and locked eyes with Takato.<br>"Gah!" he yelled, pushing back on his seat, hoping she didn't see him.  
>He looked and saw the woman take out a large weapon and aim at the plane, but before she could fire, a bullet struck her neck, making her fall over, dead.<br>Suddenly, Takato felt a powerful jerk backward, as the plane lurched forward, taking off at high speed.

"Whoa!" he yelled.  
>"Holy shit!" Rika shouted.<br>"Argh!" Henry added.

The landscape whizzed by Takato's eyes as the plane gathered more and more speed. Soon, he could feel the air pressure on him as the plane started to leave the ground.

"Oh my God! I hope Emily is alright!" Henry yelled over the noise of the plane.  
>Soon, the plane had taken off, and was climbing quickly into the clouds.<br>Takato looked outside again, and could see explosions in the air too. Not only was there ground fighting, but there were fighter jets taking to the skies as well.  
>"Oh man! We're caught in a HUGE battle!" Henry cried out.<p>

"Don't worry." A voice said in front of them. "The rebels had prepared for a battle like this."

The three young adults looked forward, and saw the man that was asleep looking at them.  
>"I'm not worried about the rebels! It's US I'm worried about!" Rika shot back.<p>

The man chuckled.

"Come on, you think this is the first time this has happened? It hasn't." He replied. "What I mean is the rebels have a solution if a passenger aircraft gets in harm's way. They have reinforcements circling the plane at this moment. Any fire that is aimed at the plane is blocked. Plus, the rebel's air force is superior to the women's."

"How do you know all of this?" Takato asked.

"Simple, I used to be a pilot in their air force." The man replied. He reached into his carry on bag and pulled out a certificate. It said:

**Steven Masterson: HONORABLE DISCHARGE**

"You were in the military?" Henry asked.

"Just got discharged actually." The man named Steven confirmed. "I'm flying home to stay with my family in China."  
>Soon the explosions and sounds of the battle were gone, and they could hear themselves much better.<br>"Your name doesn't sound Chinese though…" Takato said.  
>"You're right, it isn't; it's English." Steven replied. "But I've lived with my wife and daughters for 15 years. Looks like I made the right choice in living there and not Shinjuku."<p>

Takato chuckled. "Guess so. And you've fought for the Rebel air force—wait a minute, if I'm right, then the Rebels have been fighting for 4 years, and you've been discharged recently? Why so quickly; did you sustain some type of injury?"

He nodded. "Pretty sharp. What happened was I was shot down while fighting against the women and my parachute did activate, but I landed awkwardly on my left shoulder and dislocated it."  
>"Ugh, that sucks." Henry said.<br>"It's no big deal." Steven replied. "But it was more than just an injury, because you can recover from simple dislocations. No, it was my family that was in danger."

"Your family?" Rika asked.

"My family was trapped in their home by a raid of women a few months ago. They were actually packing up to evacuate to Tengi base, but the attack was received much earlier than expected, and they were caught still at home. They were forced to barricade the house until help arrived to drive them off.  
>"But there were only women in that house! How did they know-?" Henry started, but was cut off by Steven.<br>"Because the women knew who I was." He said darkly. "I had fought very well in the rebel air force; for I had shot down many of their aircraft. Because of that, most of the women air force in that area knew me. So they knew that my wife and two daughters were not on their side."

"Oh man that's unreal…" Takato muttered.  
>"Once the news reached me that my family was almost captured, they let me go and join them at Tengi base."<br>"Well that's good at least, letting you join your family." Rika said.  
>"Yep, and that's pretty much where I am now." Steven said.<br>"Attention!" the captain's voice sounded over the speaker. "I would like to apologize for the sudden takeoff at Shinjuku a few minutes ago. Either way, our flight will take 4 hours and 22 minutes to reach Tengi base. We will provide complimentary bar service and dinner will be served as well. Thank you, we hope you enjoy your flight."

"Yeah, before we get blown to shit." Rika whispered to Takato.

He smiled.

**You know what? I shouldn't fear for my life here. I still have all of my fics on my computer, so if any of them gets deleted, then I'll just repost them on Mediaminer. I haven't moved to Mediaminer yet due to not being in the country for a whole month! But I've decided to put off moving to Mediaminer because I realized that I should just keep writing. And if something happens, then I'll move. So I'll still be posting fics here! More to come now!**


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Not What You'd Expect

Takato looked outside his window, watching the clouds beneath him as the plane continued its flight to Tengi Base. He had barely slept during the flight, and it's been over and hour since they'd taken looked away from the window and towards Henry and Rika, both asleep. Henry had leaned on his armrest and put his pillow on top of it. The problem was that his made his head stick out to the walkway, and was prone to being hit by moving carts. Luckily none had come by yet. Rika had leaned her seat back and was sleeping soundlessly.  
>Takato took his IPhone out. Of course having no reception, but he was able to get it charged at Sho's house before leaving. Looking at it, he was still surprised that it survived being frozen in his pocket.<br>"Maybe the IPhones are the new Nokias…" he muttered.

"Fat chance." Rika's voice whispered.

Takato nearly jumped. "Rika, you're awake?" he said softly, turning to her."Yeah, just a nightmare and all. I was trying to get back to sleep but noticed you were awake." She replied.  
>"You had a nightmare?" he asked. "But you weren't tossing and turning or talking in your sleep."<br>"Bah, I'm better than that." Rika claimed. "It was nothing."  
>"<em>I had sex with her, and I have no idea who she is." He thought. "Looks like we'll be seeing each other more often…but what is she? Is she a friend? Friend with benefits? Girlfriend? I can't tell right now…"<br>_"Nightmares are nothing." He insisted. "Wanna talk about it?"  
>"No." she said.<p>

Takato sighed and looked back outside  
>"<em>Doesn't want to open up. Fine." He thought, a little annoyed<br>_He saw a rebel jet fly next to the wing, then disappear under the plane.  
>"<em>Ugh, what's the point?" he thought. "Sure we find our families, then what? Just sit in the Tengi Base until we die? Get hunted down? Do these rebels even stand a chance?"<br>_"Sorry." Rika's voice said to his right.  
>"What?" Takato turned back to face her, confused.<br>"Sorry about saying 'no'." she said.  
>"It's not a big deal." He replied. "You just don't fee—"<br>That's not it." Rika insisted. "It's just…what we did before we left Shinjuku, was a bit…"

"Spontaneous?"  
>"That's a good word."<p>

Takato smiled, then turned serious. "I know what you mean, in fact, I was just thinking the same thing. Actually I want to apologize for that to—"  
>"Don't." she interrupted. "It wasn't your fault. It was just…spur of the moment that's all."<br>"It's just…what made me do that?" He wondered. "Don't get me wrong, you were very good."  
>Rika chuckled. "Glad to know that."<br>"It's just, what do I have to live for now?" Takato asked rhetorically. "I mean, I know my family needs to be rescued, but after that, what else? I know I will protect my family of all costs, but there's no way to return to our old lives back in Shinjuku. Too much has happened. What am I supposed to do now? Henry and I were in college and we were working to have our own lives and careers. Just to enjoy life and live life to the fullest, Carpe Diem and all that crap. Now that's gone. My old life is dead. It's just…not fair."

Rika folded her arms. "You're smarter than I gave you credit for. Also more mature."  
>One of Takato's eyebrows rose. "What's that supposed to mean?"<p>

She smiled. "I didn't know you were this intelligent, or that you've been thinking about this for a while. Well the only thing I can say is this: You need to find something to live for. The way this world has changed is very dramatic, and none of us were prepared for the events that would transpire into this. However, for the ones that remain, we need to hold together and try to see this through. To be honest, I don't think this 'women tyranny' is going to last. But the important thing is that we keep our loved ones close together and seize _this_ day. As bad as things can get, it never lasts forever. There is always a silver lining, or a light at the end of the tunnel. Always.  
>Takato now folded <em>his <em>arms. "That's very optimistic of you. I didn't know you were able to procure such ideas."  
>Rika scowled. "Oh brilliant, and you are such a ray of sunshine chuckled. "I'm joking, and I understand what your saying. It's just that…I don't know what I have to live for besides my family."<p>

Rika placed her hand on top of Takato's.

"You have me." She said softly.  
>Takato looked at her.<br>"_That's…really cute." He thought. "Even though I don't know her that well, I'm dead certain I'm going to trust her more than anyone else."  
><em>"You are certain?" was all Takato could say.  
>"By our conversation it made it clear to me that you're different." Rika said. You're intelligent and mature. Which is what this stupid world needs."<br>He chuckled. "Thanks."  
>She nodded. "And you sound very caring to those close to you. Always putting their happiness over your own is the vibe I got from you. But you don't need to sacrifice your happiness for others. You can still be happy yourself. And I'll always be here."<br>Takato's heart rose. _"Wow, she feels so strongly about this with me, even though we've barely known each other for a day."  
><em>"Thanks Rika…" Takato said softly.

She put her armrest up and hugged him. He put his arms around her and hugged Rika back. Takato lay back on his seat, so both seats were side my side, enabling Rika to lie on his thighs.

"So tell me." Takato said. "What was this nightmare?"

"I was strapped to a table in a laboratory. Similar to when I was experimented on years ago. But this was different; a few scientists came in, each carrying a syringe. I didn't know what they were gonna do, but I knew a lot of pain was coming. So I tried to shut my eyes and brace myself, but I couldn't move any of my body except my head. My eyes wouldn't close, and I could do nothing but look on as each of them plunged a needle into separate parts of my body at the same time. I screamed, and blood came out of my mouth. So much blood came out it covered my entire torso. Then one of the scientists took out a chain saw, and I woke up."

Takato's eyebrows rose. "And I didn't hear you make any noise at all. Or move. How did you do that?"  
>She shrugged. "I guess I was that tired I couldn't move at all."<br>"Well just a nightmare anyway." He said. "Maybe now I can sleep.  
>"Are you tired at all?" Rika asked.<br>"No, I still feel a bit anxious. I haven't slept at all yet." Takato said. "I just felt too nervous to sleep."  
>"Maybe I can help." She sat up and put her hands on his belt. She slowly started to remove it, but Takato stopped her.<br>"_Rika!"_ He whispered, surprised. "We can't do that here! There are too many people here!"  
>"What? Are you a screamer?" She joked.<br>Takato glared at her. "Not funny."  
>"Alright alright, maybe something else." Rika said, chuckling.<br>She turned to him and started kissing his neck.  
>"Ohhhh…" he moaned. "Henry's…asleep…we might wake him…"<p>

"He's about to wake up in a moment." She replied.  
>He looked at her. "How do you know that?"<br>She pointed to the cart that was coming up the aisle.  
>"No…" Takato looked at her.<br>She grinned evilly. "Yep. Keep quiet."  
>Rika sat back on her seat and watched the cart come closer as the flight attendant served some drinks to some of the passengers in front. Soon the cart came to them, and Rika was unfortunately correct.<p>

BAM!

The cart smacked Henry's head as he jerked awake.  
>"OW!" Henry rubbed his forehead in annoyance.<br>"Oh dear! I'm so sorry!" the attendant apologized.  
>"It's not your fault." Henry glared at Rika and Takato.<br>Rika looked at the window trying not to laugh. Takato put a hand to his forehead, also trying to keep composure.

"What?" Rika pouted innocently. "I didn't do anything…"

**End of Chapter 11! So now we have a little bit of unity for the trio. Now onwards!**


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Beijing and Tengi Base

"Attention passengers," the pilot spoke. "We will be landing at Tengi Base in 15 minutes, please be ready with all of your baggage and carry-ons within the minute."  
>Takato opened his eyes and looked up the aisle. He saw the flight attendants returning to the front and rear of the plane.<br>_"Looks like we made it…" he thought. "Thank God…"  
><em>"Meh." Rika groaned as she sat up. "Just give me a good bed and I'll be fine. I'll sleep in a corner if I have to."  
>Henry opened his eyes. "I was napping you know."<br>"I know." Rika replied.

Henry grunted, and turned towards the aisle. "Whatever."  
>Takato shook his head. <em>"Those two…"<br>_"Did you sleep ok?" Rika asked.  
>"I'm just glad I slept period." He said with a small smile. "How about you?"<br>"Can't complain…much." She replied. "Could be better."

"Yeah." Takato said. "Well at least we're almost there."  
>"True." Rika said. "This pillow ain't helping."<br>Soon, the plane started to descend, enabling Takato to look outside. He saw a city come into view, and it was massive.

The city was incredibly large. Watchtowers dotted the outside of it, which was enclosed in barbed wire and concrete walls. He could see multiple gray buildings inside the wall, along with many roads that snaked around these buildings. Shops also dotted the landscape, along with normal streetlights and everything. It was bigger than any city he had ever been to.  
>"That is a base?" Rika scoffed. "It looks like Berlin divided*!"<br>"Similar." Steve's voice spoke behind them.  
>All 3 young adults turned and saw that Steve was awake.<p>

"Can you tell us a little bit about this base?" Takato asked.  
>"Absolutely." Steve said. "First off, what you see here is the city of Beijing."<br>"Wait WHAT?" Henry exclaimed, surprised. "That's Beijing? They closed off a whole CITY for the Rebels?"

Steve chuckled. "Indeed they did. It's quite a feat. You see the barbed wire and the concrete wall? There's more to that wall than just cement. Many top tier defenses lie around this wall too. You just cannot see them because they are hidden and inactive. But when trouble comes, they will be used. Also, this city still maintains communication with the outside world as well as other rebel bases. It may look isolated, but they have so many connections with Rebel bases in China, it makes them hard-pressed to run into a critical situation when it comes to logistics. Overall not much has been changed with the city other than adding defenses as well as adding a base."

"Tengi base is over there if you can see it." He said, pointing to a spot on their window.  
>They looked and saw a structure that looked like a fortress out in the distance.<p>

"Is that what you're pointing at?" Rika wondered.

He nodded, and before he could say anything else, they felt the plane descending faster. They all looked and could see the runway come into view. The plane descended lower and lower until it touched ground, shaking the plane and making loud noises. Soon the airline slowed to a stop, and the disconnect-your-seatbelts light came on, enabling everyone to unbuckle themselves and stand up.

"Thank you for flying China Airlines, we hope you have enjoyed your flight and hope to see you again sometime!" the stewardess said.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Inside Beijing Capital International Airport<em>**

Unlike Haneda in Tokyo, this airport was much more lively, and there were less police here than Japan. In fact, it the extra police weren't here, it'd be like a normal airport. The only difference would be destinations. The main areas were other rebel bases.  
>Takato looked up at the screen, which contained flights and schedules. Most of them were flights to other bases, but some were to other cities.<br>"So how do we reach Tengi base?" Rika asked.  
>He hadn't thought of that. Both he and Henry expect to <em>land<em> directly in Tengi base, but instead they landed in the main city Beijing itself.  
>"I don't know." Henry said. "I thought we'd land right in the base…"<p>

"You three need help getting to Tengi?" Steve's voice called behind them.

The three friends turned, and saw Steve pulling a roller suitcase.  
>"Hey Steve!" Takato waved.<br>He pulled his back up next to them.  
>"Hey, there's an airbus that's going to be leaving for the base soon, I'll guide you there." He stated. "It's not far from here, near Terminal D."<br>"Thanks friend." Henry said.

So the three young adults followed the pilot to the terminal, and finally to the airbus. As they walked in, Takato looked around and saw some troops ushering people along to their gates behind them. The group then found some seats near the middle, and sat down. Takato had the window, Rika in the middle, and Henry on the far end. Steve sat behind them.  
>"You wonder, however long this city has been guarded by rebels, the life of the average person would change…" Rika wondered.<br>He never thought of that, and Takato hadn't dwelled on the living standards for the people here. But now that got him thinking:

_"I wonder how many lives have been altered, ruined by this?" He thought. "Not just mine and Henry's families, but everyone else that has had to flee to these bases…"  
><em>"I never really given it much thought…" Takato muttered.  
>"Me neither." Henry agreed. "How many lives were torn apart by this atrocity?"<br>"Meh, maybe this wasn't a good idea talking about this…" Rika replied.  
>Takato couldn't help but chuckle. "Ha ha that's alright."<br>Henry shrugged, and lay back on his seat. Soon the airbus lurched forward and started moving towards the base.

Takato looked outside again, and took in the scenery.

Despite Beijing being surrounded by a barrier, it still looked beautiful. Sure there was damage easily seen from battles, but overall it looked untouched. Many skyscrapers dotted the landscape, with plenty of highways. He could see many military vehicles outside of the highways for protection of course. Overall it looked just like another normal city, with military patrols and bases dotting the area.

He looked as far ahead as he could, and he saw a base looming into view. A large wall very high up surrounded the area, along with barbed wire on the very top. The airbus soon reached the checkpoint. He saw the driver open his window and give the guard a ticket, while rebel troops scanned the bus on the outside. Soon the driver was given clearance, and the gate opened, allowing the bus in.

"Bleh, I might never get used to the security bullshit here…" Rika muttered.  
>"That makes two of us." Takato nodded.<br>"Three of us." Henry added.

Soon the airbus made it to a garage, and it stopped at a platform. It was dark, but some amber lights were on for visibility.

"Welcome to Tengi Base." The driver announced. "Please remember to collect your baggage outside of the bus. If you need help, we'll have guards outside to help."  
>"Swell." Takato said as everyone stood up.<br>"Your starting to sound like me." Rika quipped.  
>"Just what I always wanted." Takato cracked sarcastically.<br>"Oh shut up." Rika gave him a little punch in the arm.

Soon the three friends were out of the bus and being harbored towards the entrance along with the other passengers. After they went inside, they looked around in awe.

_"This is a military base?" _Takato thought.

_*For those that don't know, I'm talking about the Berlin wall built in the 60s that divided East and West Germany for nearly 50 years during the Cold War. It came down I believe 1989-1990 is when it came down._

**First off, I apologize for not updating in about…a month? I ran into a load of college classes for the fall, and I had to plan and I saw Batman after completing my previous chapter, and it sent me into a Batman craze so much I'm thinking of doing a Fanfic on Batman: The Animated Series! But hey, this story will continue nonetheless.**


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Book By Its Cover?  
><strong>Lemon in this chapter!<strong>

What the three of them saw was not what they expected. Normally they thought of a military camp, with refugees all over with tents. Like how war disrupts civilian lives. But this time it was different. It was a hotel! A nice looking hotel at that, for there was a reception desk, elevators, stairs, and a nice looking lobby. Now there were many more armed forces stationed around the area, but everything else looked untouched. It was no 5 star hotel, but it was something.  
>"Surprised?" Steve asked. "Many of the hotels in this city were used as bases to help keep the civilians safe. Turns out that many hotels have room for civilians."<br>"Ha ha." Henry quipped. "I just thought that this place would have like tents or camps or even debris scattered around like a real warzone. This wasn't an idea in mind what I thought the bases would look like."  
>"I'd have to go with the orange shirt here too." Rika said. "I mean to me, this feels like a vacation! Like I can go to the spa whenever I want to!"<p>

"You probably can." Steve said. "These are only for rebel refugees who were rescued. Think about this: These people have already suffered a lot. They've possibly witnessed many deaths, or trauma while fleeing from the enemy. So the military does make sure to leave most of the attractions open to relieve some stress."  
>"<em>Makes sense I guess…" Takato thought. "But…"<br>_"That doesn't matter to me right now." He said. "We still need to find our families before we can relax. I mean, who knows where they are? We're worried!"  
>"I know you are." Steve agreed. "So am I, but we did managed to track a prison camp about 40 miles from here earlier. They're already prepping an armed force to raid the camp."<br>Takato suddenly remembered what Sho said that day before they left:  
>"<em>There's a rebel group in China who's been trying to hit a camp in Beijing. Reports indicate that that is where most of the prisoners captured here in Shinjuku are being held."<em>

"I want to go!" He immediately suggested.  
>"So do I!" Henry added.<br>"I'll go too!" Rika agreed.

"Whoa whoa hang on, how old are you three?" Steve asked.  
>"18." They said together.<br>"Oh…" He muttered. "Well then, you are of age. However you can't just throw yourselves into a war! You need training! I'm here to care for my family, and it could take a while to get you up to speed on their programs."  
>"Come on!" Takato protested. "Henry and I know martial arts! We've been practicing since we were little. It's not like—"<br>"That's not enough, for they'll be armed." Steve interrupted. "I wager you haven't fired a gun before?"  
>Takato stopped. He had him there.<br>"Well we have to do something!" Henry said. "I don't like waiting here and letting results come in, we're people of action!"

Steve sighed. "I'm sorry you three, but there's nothing I can do. You'll have to ask them to sign you up."  
>"<em>I can't tell them…" Steve thought. "It actually doesn't matter with the training. They may have a lot of qualified personnel there, but they'd take any bodies they can. It's too dangerous for them!"<br>_"Wait." Henry said. "I highly doubt that they'd just reject us outright. I mean think about it. This is a war effort, a very drastic war effort. The way I see it, they'd take anyone they can get as long as it fills ranks. Steve is there something you're not telling us?"  
>He sighed. "It's too dangerous! Have you been out there on the battlefield? Many people come back different after much fighting on the frontier."<br>"I know you care Steve." Takato said. "But we have to do this. I want to see my family again."  
>"But you don't need to go ou-!"<p>

Suddenly, they started to hear engines roaring outside. Rushing to the giant window, they saw a bomber and a group of trucks roar to life and take off.  
>"What!?" Henry stammered. "Was that-?"<br>"I think those were the forces going out to raid that camp…" Rika said unhappily.  
>"No!" He yelled as they disappeared from view.<br>"God damn it!" Henry shouted.  
>Takato sighed. "Great. Now what?"<br>"I guess we find a room." Rika suggested, depressed.

They didn't speak to Steve for the rest of the day. They went to the reception and were given two rooms (Henry got the memo for Rika and Takato). Henry took one, while Rika and Takato took another. It was a modest room, with one bed (as they asked) a bathroom with a shower, a microwave and a mini fridge. One small bonus was a safe, but they couldn't find a reason to use it in the first place.

**Lemon Scene!**

Seeing the bed, they took advantage of it right away.  
>It didn't take long for them to strip each other down…<br>"Augh, augh." Takato groaned while Rika was on top of him.  
>"Oh Takato…" She moaned.<br>Takato then switched sides and started driving through her on the bottom.  
>"OH! OH!" She felt the pleasure of Takato going through her.<br>She wrapped her arms around his neck and nibbled on the side, causing Takato to growl in lust.  
>"More Takato! Faster…please." She begged.<br>Complying he went all out at the very end.  
>"OH TAKATO!" She yelled.<br>"RIKA!" He yelled back, and finished.

Collapsing next to her, she sidled up to him and laid her head on his chest.  
>"Need a…license for…that driving?" She giggled.<br>He chuckled. "Was I speeding officer?"  
>Breaking into a laugh, she kissed him on the lips.<br>He then turned serious. "I hope they find our families…"  
>She nodded. "I have faith, my mother and grandmother are tough, and I'm sure your family will be just fine too."<br>"Not just that, but my sister Jeri has aged by a few years. She's older than me! I mean, that's going to be another problem for us. The three of us haven't aged at all, but the rest of the world has. If or when this is over, what will we do? Will we just keep aging this way? Or find a way to recover those lost years some way?"

She shrugged. "I'm horny again. Shag me and deal with that later."

Takato burst out laughing. "Oh man that somehow made my day."

**I can't believe I went this long and left this story hanging. I have sincere apologies to all of you who have waited patiently for an update. This story is NOT dead at all. More is on the way! **


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Nervous Revelation

"Great!" Rika complained angrily. "The rebels have gone and left us here to find our families and now we have no choice but to wait for them to come back!"  
>Takato groaned. "Great, and just when we get close to finding them. I can't just sit here and wait! I want to be out there!"<p>

After their little "escapade," Takato and Rika had met up with Henry in the main hall of the camp. They were on the second floor, watching the refugees arrive and exit the establishment.  
>"I just can't stand sitting here while our families are potentially stuck at that camp!" Henry said angrily. "I know there's a rebel force on their way there, but I want to be with them!"<p>

"You still can you know." A familiar voice spoke behind them.

The three turned around and saw Sho and Emily.  
>"Sho! Emily!" Takato exclaimed. "You made it!"<br>"You know them Takato?" Rika asked.  
>"Yeah." Henry answered. "He's the one that got us here in the first place. Without him, we'd probably be dead."<br>"Nice to meet you." Sho held out his hand.  
>"Rika." She said, shaking it.<br>"Sho." He replied. "And this is Emily."  
>"Hello there." She said softly.<p>

"You said we still could?" Takato asked urgently. "But the rebels are already gone!"  
>"Not true." Sho replied. "The main force has already left some time ago, but they're going to call on the reserves very soon. Actually, they're going to need some civilians to bring with them because the main rebel forces are not returning here right away; remember that there are multiple camps here, and not all the families they rescue will necessarily have loved ones here. That's where you and other will come in. They will find and try to rescue the families, and after they do, you can sort out the families that are rescued and find your own."<p>

"Good, then let's not wait." Rika said impatiently.  
>Sho sighed. "I must warn you, very few people volunteer for this, and even if their families are out there, they're going to be under heavy enemy fire. Some who do volunteer don't come back. Are you sure you want to do this?"<br>The three of them nodded.  
>"Without a doubt." Takato said.<br>"Alright." He replied. "Good luck, and I hope I see you back here soon."

* * *

><p>The three teens made it to the reception desk to ask where to volunteer. She pointed to an office near the garage.<br>"Alright then, time to go." Henry said.  
>"Scared?" Rika nudged Takato.<br>"Not at all." He replied.  
>But in reality he was frightened. So many things could go wrong. Instantly hundreds of different scenarios started playing out in his mind. Each one resulted in his or his friends' death.<br>Pushing these thoughts away, they made their way to the office. An officer was standing outside.  
>"Looking for something?" he asked.<br>"We're here to volunteer." Takato said.  
>He blinked, and looked at the three teens.<br>"You three?" He asked, surprised. "You do realize—"  
>"Yes." Rika interrupted. "We know it's going to be dangerous and we might not come back but I don't give a damn! Let us volunteer and make this quicker!"<p>

He stared at them for a moment, then nodded. He opened the office door and turned to them.  
>"General Misho is going to lead a reserve force to the camp. He will take you three. Sign up and be ready at the garage in 20 minutes."<br>They nodded, and went inside.  
>They saw a large notice board and a multiple clipboards hanging on it. Searching through them, they found General Misho's name and signed themselves up. They were about to head to the garage when Takato spotted a signature.<br>"Guys! Look at this!" he pointed.  
>They looked closely at the writing and gasped at the name.<br>**Steven Masterson.**

"What the?" Henry wondered. "I thought his family was safe?"  
>"That's what he told us." Rika said. "This means—"<br>"Either 1, he's lying." Takato commented. "Or 2, there's someone else he's looking for."  
>"Correct Takato." Steven's voice sounded.<br>They all whipped around, and saw the air force pilot carrying a duffel bag.  
>"What are you doing here!?" Henry asked.<br>"I should be asking you the same thing." Steven said. **(A/N I decided to go with just Steven instead of Steve. Sounds better.) **"Did you sign up?"  
>"Yes we did!" Rika said, angrily. "And unlike you we told you the whole reason why we're here! Spill!"<br>He sighed. "Let's talk about this in the garage, they should be calling for the volunteers soon."

* * *

><p>"So you weren't exactly lying to us, you just kept some info secret from us." Takato said.<br>The four of them were standing with a group of 10 people waiting to be called.  
>Steven nodded. "When this whole mess started, my own family wasn't the only one in danger. My brother was also caught and captured. Only this time he's still captive, and I heard that they were going to raid the camp where he should be stranded in. I volunteered to commandeer a fighter jet, so I'll be in the fight too."<br>"Even after your honorable discharge?" Henry questioned.  
>"Yes." Steven said. "When I heard that my brother could potentially be held up in that camp, I called General Misho right away to see if I can volunteer. He agreed, and let me fight with the reserves."<br>"Why did you keep this from us?" Rika asked, annoyed.  
>"Because if I told you, then you'd find out about this whole volunteer service. And I didn't want you three thrown into this. But I guess you found out anyway, so I have nothing to hide now." Steven replied unhappily.<br>"Well we're here now, and—" Takato started to speak when…

"Ey', you the volunteers?"

They all turned and saw a moderately tall man in uniform, wearing multiple badges, patches, pins, and honors all you can see. Takato noticed the four stars on the person's hat.  
><em>"This must be General Misho…" he thought. "Four stars? Wow..."<br>_"Oh joy. I get to manage all this fresh meat." Misho muttered. "Alright then, a C-130 will be arriving in a few moments, that is where you will be. Masterson, you're coming with me."  
>"Sir yes sir!" He saluted.<br>"At ease."

Misho turned and walked away, Steven right behind him. He looked back at them and mouthed "good luck" before turning around.  
>Mutters them broke out around them. Some excited, others angry, and scared.<br>"Well I guess any moment now." Henry sighed.  
>Takato nodded. <em>"Mom, Dad, Jeri, I'm coming for you!"<em>

* * *

><p><em>20 minutes later…<br>_The 13 people were assigned seats and strapped down, similar to a roller coaster. Bars and handles were secured on them as the bomber took off.  
>There were no windows, just large containers dotting the room around them. About 30 soldiers were moving around the 'craft, arming themselves for the battle.<br>Misho then emerged from the front of the bomber.  
>"Now." He started. "You're seats contain parachutes in case of attack and emergency evacuation is needed. If you do use your parachute, it comes with a tracker so we can quickly rescue you before enemy weapons can lock on to you."<br>While he was saying this, some of the soldiers were demonstrating the process of releasing the parachute with a fake seat.

"Our plan is to cover the main force and give it aid, so don't expect much action as of right no—"  
>Suddenly, the sound of an explosion sounded below, causing the plane to shake violently, sending many soldiers stumbling, including Misho himself.<br>"Aoki! Status!" He ordered, panting.  
>"We're under attack!" He yelled from the front. "The main force has been battered and the enemy has launched a massive counterattack!"<br>"Shit!" He yelled. "Order the reserve units on the attack immediately! And don't forget to—"  
>Suddenly, an explosion ripped through the rear of the bomber, causing pieces of it to rip off and fall to the ground below. The outside could now be seen, and the air pressure was causing the seats to rattle violently.<p>

"Gah!" Takato yelled as he felt his seat come loose. He then was taken by the wind and swept into the outside.  
>"TAKATO!" Henry and Rika yelled together.<br>One of the soldiers leaped at Takato trying to reach for him. He saw the soldier's fingers tip the seat before he fell to the bomber floor.  
>Panic took over him as he fell through the atmosphere and towards the ground.<br>"Shoot!" He yelled. But then he remembered the parachute, and slammed the button on the side of his seat.

Nothing happened.

Looking in horror at the button, he hit it several times as he was sent into a dizzying spin, plummeting towards the ground. His parachute failed, and there was nothing he could do.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Unbelievable

Steven Masterson barrel rolled to the right and fired his machine guns down at the infantry below; it was a madhouse down on the field. Despite the relief force arriving to assist the main rebel armies, the women army was still putting up heavy resistance. Through his screens, he could see men mixed in with the women forces.  
><em>"Men?" He wondered confused. "How is that possible? I thought the women wanted all men exterminated…"<br>_He looked up into the sky and saw a small fleet of jets circling the field raining down fire at the rebels.  
>He quickly radioed in some backup and took off for the enemy air force. But just as he was about to pick up speed, he saw something falling through the air.<br>"What the-?" He muttered. Looking closer, he saw it was…

"Takato!?" he stammered, surprised. "What the hell is he doing? Why hasn't he deployed his parachute!?"  
>He then came to two realizations. First, the C-130 holding the civilians must have been attacked, causing him to fall out. Second, Takato's parachute must be stuck. Meaning…<br>"Oh damn it!" He yelled. "His parachute won't activate! What do I do?"

He suddenly came up with a crazy idea.

* * *

><p>Takato sailed through the air, the ground beginning to come closer and closer.<br>_"Oh damn it! Why me!?" He thought angrily. "Is this really how I die!? Falling to the earth because my god damn parachute failed!?"  
><em>Suddenly, he heard machine gun fire near him.  
>"What the hell!?" He yelled out.<p>

He looked, and saw the side of his chair was punctured with holes. Bullet holes. Takato then felt himself lifted out of the chair and the falling stopped.  
>"Huh?" He wondered, and looked up.<br>His parachute was activated. He was now floating slowly towards the ground.  
><em>"Thank god!" <em>He thought, exhaling. _"But what happened? Did someone shoot at me?"_

He looked up and saw a fighter jet fly past him at high speeds.  
>"Whoa…" He muttered. "Thank you, whoever that was."<br>Takato looked up at the bomber that he fell out of. It was still on fire, but it was slowly landing behind the rebel armies.  
>It was at that moment when he realized where he was floating.<p>

He looked ahead of him and gasped in horror.  
>Takato was floating towards the enemy camp!<p>

"Oh shit!" He yelled out, and tried to steer the parachute to no avail.

Looking at the camp, he could see it has two walls. One was cement covered, the other with barbed wire. Towers rose around the camp with guards in each of them. He could see artillery fire had blown holes through some of the walls. Takato also noticed a large hole through the ceiling, which was smoking.  
><em>"Oh no oh no oh no oh no!" He panicked. "And just I thought I was home free!"<br>_Suddenly, more machine gun fire flew past him.  
>Gasping, he tried to turn the parachute around; nothing happened, and soon he was almost right over the camp.<br>"Oh shoot…" was all he could say.

At that moment, more machine gun fire came his way. This time, some of the bullets ripped holes through the parachute, increasing the speed of his descent.  
>"Arrgh! No!" He yelled out, and soon he was nearing the hole in the ceiling. More bullets then whizzed by and destroyed the parachute completely, sending him falling into the hall.<br>"Aaaaaaaahh!" Takato yelled as he fell through the hole. Looking down, he saw a mount of mulch right under him.  
>Luckily, it broke his fall and he tumbled into a room. Coughing and dusting himself off, he noticed he was in a small armory. He looked around and saw…<br>"Guns!" He exclaimed in awe. Guns of all types were kept in this room. Assault rifles, shotguns, handguns, you name it.

Takato gulped, he had never used a gun. Yet he knew that he would have to at least have one if he were to even survive. He looked around, and grabbed a handgun with an extra ammo cartridge. The gun was a bit heavy, so he grabbed a holster and placed it on his hip. He also noticed his gun hand was shaking.  
><em>"Ugh…I can't bear to use this crap…" <em>He thought unhappily. _"But I might as well at least have one for my own safety…"  
><em>He turned to the door, and saw there was a peephole. Looking through it, Takato noticed a long hallway leading to doors on both sides. Yet it was empty, so he slowly opened the door and closed it behind him.  
><em>"Where do I go now?" he thought.<em>

He suddenly heard footsteps coming from the other door. No time to decide, he bolted for the other door. Opening it quickly, he saw he was in a hall with 4 doors now. Opening the first one, he saw another armory. Shutting it, he went to the second door, and saw it lead to a staircase. Takato quickly bolted down the staircase after hearing nothing. He saw a door on one of the floors and more stairs leading down behind him. He chose the door in front of him and made his way to…

"A prison!" He cried out.  
>He found himself inside one of the prison areas where the people were being kept!<br>Takato could see prisoners banging their cells shouting angrily at the woman guarding.  
>Takato looked and saw the woman angrily shoving a man back into his cell and closing it.<br>"!" Takato quickly took cover behind some crates as he listened in:  
>"Enough out of you!" She said angrily. "Just eat your damn breakfast! It's 11 a.m. and I don't want to file anymore paperwork for another death!"<p>

"Is that all you care about?" A familiar voice spoke. "Just treating us like crap!?"  
>Takato gasped silently. <em>"Is that…?"<br>_"I don't want to hear another word out of you Takehiro Matsuki!" She yelled angrily, banging his cell.  
><em>"DAD!?" He thought, incredulously. "It IS him!"<br>_He saw the woman turn and walk through a door and disappear.  
>He waited for a minute to make sure she didn't come back and then emerged.<br>"Dad!" Takato yelled out.  
>"T-Takato!?" Takehiro called out from his cell.<br>He quickly bolted to his father's cell.  
>"DAD!" He yelled out and reached through the bars and felt his hands.<br>"Oh my god Takato!" he reached as close as he could and embraced him.

Tears flowed out of both faces as they finally reunited.  
>"Takato, it's been so long!" He cried out. "What happened to you!?"<br>"It's a long story dad!" he sobbed, and then turned serious. "I'm getting you out of here!"  
>"W-what!?" He stammered. "But the place is—"<br>"Mostly empty." Takato interrupted. "Did you see outside? The rebels are attacking the compound right now are trying to break in! They're going to set you guys free!"  
>He smiled. "Great! But we still need to find your mother and Jeri!"<p>

"Where are they?" Takato asked.  
>"The men and women prisoners were separated, I'm pretty sure they are below us." Takehiro replied.<br>He nodded. "I'm getting them out right now!"  
>"No!" He exclaimed. "I can't risk you're life like that!"<br>"Dad we have no choice!" Takato replied. "We can't just run out of here and come back, it's too risky! We need to get them right now!"  
>He sighed, and then nodded.<br>"Alright." Takehiro relented. "But you still need to get us out."

Takato pulled out the gun he was holding and aimed at the lock.  
>"Stand back!" He ordered.<br>"Wha-?" He stuttered. "Where did you get that!?"  
>"No time! Just stand back!"<br>Takato pulled the trigger and shot the lock out, causing a loud noise.  
><em>"Oh damn it!" He thought. "I just realized this is going to attract attention!"<br>_Right on cue, shouts were heard nearby.  
>"Hurry Takato!" Takehiro emerged from his cell. "Give me the gun, I'll free them, you keep watch!"<br>Nodding, Takato ran to the door to the stairs and looked. So far, no one was coming.  
>"Hey Takato!" A voice called out to him.<p>

He turned, and saw Ryo Akiyama emerging from his destroyed cell.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Found

"Ryo!" Takato cried out. "Hey how have you been?"  
>"Good, just one question: Why don't you look older?"<br>"Long story." Takato said.  
>He nodded. "Look out! Some guards are coming!"<br>Turning back to the door, he noticed the guards were all men.  
><em>"All men?" <em>He thought. _"Why are there men on the women's side!?"  
><em>"Say Takato…" Ryo wondered. "Wonder if these guys know how to fight?"  
>Takato turned back to him.<br>"You mean if they can fight like us?" He asked.  
>He smiled and nodded. "Let's see if they can beat us."<p>

So they both took opposite sides of the door waiting for the guards. By the time the door burst open, all of the prisoners were freed.  
>"Stop them!" one of them yelled.<br>Immediately, Takato and Ryo sprang into action and attacked them. There were four in general, so it wasn't too difficult.  
>Takato tornado kicked the first one into the crowd of freed prisoners who quickly dispensed with him. He then blocked the other guard's punch, kicked him in the stomach and flipped him over.<br>Ryo was grabbed from behind so he used his weight to use both feet and kick the other guard. He then put his legs behind the guard's, tripped him and made him fall on his back.

"Nice one Ryo!" Takato high-fived him.  
>"You too!" He said. "Now we gotta free the other prisoners!"<br>"I passed by an armory on the way here, before we free them, we should arm them." Takato said.  
>"Great, lead the way."<p>

* * *

><p>After the prisoners lead by a former marine were armed, they made there way downstairs.<br>"Be careful you too." Takehiro said to them. "There's likely going to be a big fight at the bottom floor, stay behind us, I don't want you two in this fight."  
>Nodding, Takato and Ryo stayed behind the pack. Takato looked through the small crowd and saw they were walking through another hall with a double door at the end along with a window on top. The marine peered through the window and gasped.<br>He turned to the small crowd and spoke:  
>"All women." He said. "About 30 of them. We're pretty evenly matched to the 35 of us; if we just attacked head on it would be a bloodbath. We need a distraction. Afterwards we can release those prisoners. We are on a higher floor with stairs on both sides, so they won't see us."<p>

Takato and Ryo peered through the glass and noticed a large hanging crate filled with cement. The marine quickly noticed what they were looking at.  
>"I was thinking of that…" He said. "But just dropping it on them, would it be enough?"<p>

"It will." One of the prisoners spoke.

Everyone turned to him. He was wearing glasses and a sweater vest.  
>"Trust me." He said. "Since that is wet cement in that crate, shooting it down will smash the cement out and spread quickly, the enemy forces out there won't be able to move around well, making them easy pickings. I'm a scientist, I know how this works."<br>Everyone chuckled and nodded in agreement. The marine turned back towards the large double doors.  
>He slowly and quietly pushed the doors open and aimed his sniper rifle at the chain on the ceiling. Carefully angling his rifle, he fired.<br>BANG! The chain exploded and broke, sending the giant crate to the ground and crashing open.

"What the hell!?" One of them yelled, stumbling.  
>"GO!" He yelled.<br>The freed prisoners rushed out onto the balcony and started firing at the women below while Takato and Ryo stayed behind and watched the attack. The scientist had been correct, for the cement was making it tough for the women to fire back, and soon, most of them were gone.  
>"Keep it going! This side go around the right side while you and your group go around the left and flank them!"<br>The marine was shouting battle orders as shots whizzed around the room. Takato and Ryo were still behind the door, watching the action.  
>"Argh!" Takato sighed, annoyed. "I know it's hectic out there but I want to help somehow!"<br>"You're telling me." Ryo replied. "Maybe we could sneak down to that floor and free the other prisoners. You still have that gun?"  
>Takato took out his pistol. "Yeah, I still have the other ammo cartridge too. God I hate using this thing…"<p>

He chuckled. "Well right now if we can rush to the bottom and stay in the background we should be ok."  
>"Sounds good." Takato replied. "Ready? Let's go!"<br>While the fighting was raging, Takato and Ryo snuck past the marine (who was still yelling out orders) and made their way downstairs. They snuck behind a few crates and stayed near the wall to avoid any shots. Soon they made it to a cell. A little girl was crying in her cell.  
>"Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright." Takato spoke softly, but it was hard to hear with all the gunfire.<br>"Stand back!" He ordered, and blasted the lock out. Ryo quickly opened the door and led her behind the crates to hide. Takato then shot the next lock out and freed an older woman, who he quickly rushed her to Ryo's hiding spot.

"Alright, let's get them to safety." He said.  
>So they quickly led the girl and the woman (who turned out to be the mother) back upstairs to the door behind the marine.<br>"What are you two doing!?" the marine barked at them. "You're putting your lives into unnecessary risk!"  
>"Unnecessary?" Takato asked, nonplussed. "If you haven't noticed, you're gunfire is threatening the poor prisoners locked in their cells! A stray bullet could kill one of them easily!"<br>He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. The marine thought for a moment, then spoke.  
>"Argh…" He muttered. "Alright fine, but bring some help with you. We've gained the upper hand, and we've suffered no casualties. Hurry up and free them!"<p>

So with two other prisoners by their side, they quickly snuck back to the crates. Takato then spotted someone familiar…  
>"Mom!" He nearly shouted out, but quickly put his hands over his mouth.<br>"That's your mother Takato?" Ryo asked.  
>"Yeah! Let's get her out!" He nodded.<br>So they rushed over to her cell and freed her.  
>"T-takato!?" Mie Matsuki stuttered. "Oh my Go-!"<br>"No time mom!" Takato cried out, we gotta—"  
>"Stop right there!" a voice yelled out.<br>They all turned, and a group of reinforcements had surrounded them.  
>"Damn it!" Ryo yelled out.<br>But just as they were about to fire, a wall exploded behind them, sending them all to the ground and into the cement.

Takato spat out some of the gavel and stood up quickly.  
>"What the hell!?" He yelled out.<br>"FREEZE! All of you!" a voice yelled out.  
>Everyone looked and the rebel army was standing there, guns out.<br>"Drop your weapons now! You're surrounded." General Misho called out.  
>He looked around and spotted Takato.<br>"So this is where you were." He grumbled, then chuckled. "And still in one piece. Surprised me."

The remaining women dropped their weapons and surrendered. The rebels freed the remaining prisoners and began escorting them out. At the same time, the women were arrested and taken into custody.  
>"Takato! Oh my baby boy!" Mie wrapped her arms around him and crushed him in a hug, tears running down her face.<br>Despite the bone-crushing hug, Takato cried too. He hadn't seen his mother in a long time either.  
>After breaking the hug, he asked.<p>

"Where's Jeri?"  
>"Takato!"<p>

He looked, and Jeri Katou was running towards him. She looked different.  
>She stopped, and her mouth dropped open.<br>"T-Takato?" she stuttered. "You look…the same!"  
>"And you look different…" He replied. "Older…"<br>Jeri had indeed aged. She had grown about two inches taller, her hair was longer, and she looked sickly like she hadn't eaten in weeks.  
>"Yeah…" Jeri said. "What happened to you!?"<br>"Long story; I'll tell you when we get back, Rika—Oh wait!"  
>Takato suddenly remembered that Rika was looking for <em>her<em> family too.

"Hey mom, did you hear one of the guards call out a "Nonaka" in the prison?" He asked.  
>She thought for a moment, then nodded.<br>"Yes they did." Mie replied. "One was named I believe 'Seiko' and the other 'Rumiko'."  
>"That must be them!" Takato replied. "I have a friend who's looking for her mother and grandmother, so that must be them."<p>

"Takato!"

He turned again and saw Rika running towards him. She quickly grabbed him and hugged him tightly.  
>"Are you alright!?" She asked, alarmed. "What happened!?"<p>

"Long story for you too." He chuckled. "I'll tell you on the way back."

**After all that's happened, Takato's gonna need a LONG vacation! More to come!**


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Recap

**Note: Now that the families are back, the ages need to be adjusted. Suzie Wong is now 17 (in 2002 she was 7, Jeri is now 22, plus the Digimon wiki gave me no other ages for the older Wong family so I'll leave that out. Also, since a host of family characters have popped in, I'll label them in relation to the main characters, but only for this chapter.)**

After the rescue, everyone made it back to the base in Beijing. Both of Takato's parents were given a room not too far from Takato and Rika's but far enough (Rika gleefully thought). At the same time, Rika's family had found another room on the floor above them.  
>After all the confusion and reuniting with their families, it turns out the marine was Steven's brother Rob. Plus since Takato had landed in the compound and freed some of the prisoners, it caused confusion within the ranks of the defending women army. The upper command had thought that the rebels had sent spies into the prison to free the prisoners. As a result, some of the forces had withdrawn into the compound to find them. But this caused the main force to weaken and speed up the defeat. Everyone had a story to tell, but the biggest question everyone had (Takato and Rika's families, Henry's were also found, Steven and Rob) were how Takato, Rika, and Henry had not aged a year.<p>

So they all gathered in Takato and Rika's room and began to explain.  
>Takato and Henry spoke their stories first, starting with the Shinjuku planetarium visit, to the earthquake, then the pods, Shingi's story, Sho's story, the attack at Haneda Airport, and finally the rescue.<br>"Oh my baby!" Mie Matsuki cried out and hugged Takato tightly again.  
>"C-can't…breathe…" He spoke hoarsely.<br>"So that's why you three look the same…" Takehiro said. "None of you have aged!"  
>"My story's a little different." Rika replied. "But pretty much."<p>

"Oh Rika!" Rumiko gave her a tight hug too, causing her to groan in pain.  
>"This is unbelievable…" Janyu Wong (Henry's father) said. "The three of you haven't aged at all. I had no idea that was even possible!"<br>"Ugh…" Henry said. "Normally if we weren't in this predicament I'd enjoy that more…"  
>"I agree." Takato said. "But what now? We're all reunited, but this war is still going…"<br>"There might not be anything we can do…" Rika said. "Raid after raid after raid hasn't done much.  
>At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Everyone looked at the sound, prompting Takato to open it.<p>

Standing there was Sho and Emily.  
>"Hey Takato!" Sho greeted. "Thought I might find you all here."<br>"Hey Sho!" Henry shook his hand.

"Well I see you got your families back. Fantastic!" He said. "So Takato, I heard you nearly destroyed the place."  
>Takato chuckled. "Really? By who?"<br>"Everyone!" Sho exclaimed. "They're all talking about you! About how you somehow survived parachuting into the camp and freed the prisoners!"  
>"Whoa hang on!" He held his hands up. "That was an accident! If someone hadn't shot my seat while falling, I would've died!"<p>

Steven stood up.  
>"That was me." He said. "I saw you falling fast through the air and the crazy thought came to me that I should shoot your seat to hopefully free the parachute. Clearly something was jammed or stuck."<br>"Really? It was you?" Takato asked, dumbfounded. "Good shot!"  
>"More like lucky shot." He said grimly. "If I had missed, I would've probably killed you sooner."<br>Mie suddenly stood up and stood face to face with Steven.  
>"Oh is that so!?" She shouted angrily. "I swear to you if you had hurt a single hair on my Takato-!"<p>

He took a step back. "Wait! I was just trying to help him!"  
>Takato quickly ran in between them. "Mom he's right! If he hadn't taken the chance, I'd be dead anyway!"<br>"If you think about it, had my brother not shot your seat and activated your parachute, you wouldn't have landed in the camp." Rob added. "And if that hadn't happened, the prisoners wouldn't have been freed. Meaning the defending army might not have had to dispatch soldiers in confusion. So in a way both Steven and Takato won this battle."

Mie rounded on him.  
>"Oh is it?" She said angrily. "Care to explain why my Takato was even near the camp in the first place!?"<br>"Actually I wanted to ask that too." Takehiro said.  
>"So did I!" Seiko (Rika's grandmother) and Rumiko (Rika's mother) added.<br>"Here, here." Janyu spoke, with Mayumi (Henry's mother).  
>Takato backed away and looked at Henry, who looked at Rika. She suddenly looked nervous. The three of them had realized their families weren't gonna take the news that they willingly volunteered to put their lives on the line to see their families."<br>"Uhhh…" Takato stammered.  
>Mie then rounded on <em>him<em>.  
>"Takato! You willingly came close to the camp!?"<br>He sighed, and nodded, as did Henry and Rika.

"Takato why did you do something so reckless!?" Takehiro joined Mie.  
>From then on, it started an uncomfortable 15 minutes with Takato, Henry, and Rika explaining them volunteering with General Misho. They were forced to also included the C-130 being attacked. By the end of it, Mie, Rumiko, and Mayumi looked ready to faint.<br>"Hang on people." Emily interrupted. "Let's be real here. These three are adults; they've made their decision because they wanted to save you. It was dangerous no doubt, but they wanted to see you again. And since they were stuck in Shinjuku for 4 years while the rest of you were captured and put in prisons, I'm sure you'd do the same if the situation were reversed."

Silence followed her small speech, but then a chorus of nods would follow as well.  
>"The point is," Sho added. "I had been monitoring that battle all day, and the rebels were stalling against the defending women forces. Even though the rebels did have the upper hand, it looked to be a very long battle. Yet I was proven wrong by the unexpected turn of events when Takato somehow landed in the camp and freed the prisoners. I know it was very lucky of you to somehow survive and find the prisoners Takato, but let's be frank, that was gutsy."<br>Takato shrugged. "I'd rather not dwell on it."  
>"Everyone else is!" Sho insisted. "They're talking about you Takato, and they're all astounded at what you did!"<p>

He sighed. "It was a lucky coincidence. I should really be—"  
>Upon catching his mother's livid eyes, he stopped.<br>"I don't know Sho." Takato spoke. "Let them say what they want, I'll know it was just a lucky break. "  
>Sho shrugged, and sat next to Emily.<br>"Takato." Henry said. "Just be glad it's finally over. Our families are back, and we don't need to go anywhere else again."  
>Takato nodded. "Gladly."<p>

Rika sidled up next to him.

"Come on, I feel like unwinding." She said. "Let's go to the _spa…_" She lowered her voice when she said 'spa,' sending chills of excitement down his spine.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: All At Once

When the families left for their rooms, Takato and Rika left for the spa, and found a sauna vacant. Eager, Rika grabbed his arm and pulled him into the hot and foggy room.

**LEMON SCENE!**

Takato sat on one of the benches lined up on the wall, while Rika stood in front of him wrapped in her towel.  
>"Oh Takato…" She purred, and released her towel, letting it fall to the floor.<br>Shock quickly took over his features. Despite this not being the first time seeing Rika nude in front of him, it still surprised him every time.  
>"Whoa…" was all he could say.<br>Rika took command and yanked his towel right off, causing him to gasp. Not letting him respond, she pushed him against the wall without the benches and kissed him fiercely.

Takato melted into the kiss and deepened it. He looked past her and saw the door was still unlocked.  
>"T-the door!" He pointed, enabling Rika to quickly lock it and cover the little window with her towel.<br>"Better, now no interruptions!" She quickly snaked her arms around his back and massaged him, enabling a few moans from him.  
>Takato then used his right hand to massage her bottom while his left would stroke her side, causing her to gasp.<br>"You…love setting…me off early huh?" She smiled.  
>He smiled back. "Yes I do," and resumed stroking her bottom with <em>both <em>hands this time.

"Ohhh oh!" she moaned under his touch. The heat of the steamy room was intensifying the passion between them, as their hormones kicked into overdrive.  
>Takato then growled and laid her on one of the benches and slowly inserted himself into her.<br>"Ooooh Ahhh!" She cried out in pain and ecstasy. "Go more!"  
>He then started increasing his speed, making her scream.<br>"Oh my…GOD!" She couldn't stop the sounds coming from her mouth. As he worked her he started massaging her breasts.

At that point, something snapped, and she suddenly grabbed Takato and started moving him faster.  
>"I want more!" She growled in an animalistic tone, enabling Takato to go even faster.<br>"R-Rika I'm gonna-!" he spoke out.  
>"Me too keep going!" Rika replied quickly.<br>Soon, it was too much, and both of them screamed at the same time, and released themselves.

**END OF LEMON SCENE**

They then calmed down and looked at each other smiling. But then Takato realized…  
>"Oh shit!" He cried out. "Protection!"<br>"You…forgot already…?" Rika asked weakly. "Remember…last time?"  
>He thought back to last time…then slapped himself on the forehead.<br>"Of course..." Takato said. "Birth control…but in this hellish place, where did you acquire such a thing?"  
>"I didn't tell you?" Rika sat up next to him, rewrapping the towel around her body. "Haneda Airport has a hospital."<br>"Hospital?" he asked while wrapping his up.  
>"Yes, remember the hospital you woke up in? And the room we stole for our little 'escapade'?"<p>

"Oh yeah!" Takato replied. "How did I not think of that before?"  
>"Well why think about the hospital when you're screaming my name in a spa?" She grinned.<br>He chuckled. "I guess you're right."  
>"I know I'm right." She replied. "Just look at me."<br>Rika posed sexily on the bench in front of him.  
>"Ha ha ha. What does that make me?" Takato crossed his arms.<br>"A sexy man who knows how to please a woman." She said still grinning.  
>"Why thank you minx…" He chuckled.<p>

They spent about an hour in the sauna before finally exiting. They then moved to a Jacuzzi nearby with their swimming clothes, where they talked about the battle that passed.  
>"So keep going, what happened next?" Rika asked.<br>"I found my dad in a cell and shot the door open." Takato explained. Afterwards, we got everyone else out and found the other prison with all women. A firefight broke out and we managed to get our parents out, and the rest is history."  
>"Man…" she said. "That must've been tough to deal with. Actually, talking about our stories before, it makes me wonder."<br>"What?" he asked.  
>"Well 4 years ago a massive earthquake struck, and then the women armies attacked all over the world. Doesn't that seem too convenient?"<p>

Takato's eyes widened. "Huh…but was the earthquake in just Shinjuku? I mean the Pacific Rim* gets earthquakes often. Plus Japan lies in the Ring of Fire**."  
>"I wouldn't know." Rika replied. "I mean, I was stuck in a lab for a long time. No news ever came."<br>"True." He replied. "But if it wasn't a coincidence, how do you think they caused it? How do you cause a natural disaster as powerful as moving tectonic plates below the earth?"  
>"Let's not get too scientific." She said. "Yet it is something to think about, we know this thing was planned for a while. I'm sure it's not just a coincidence."<p>

He nodded. "It can't be, otherwise it'd be too convenient."

***Pacific Rim is places on the edge of the Pacific Ocean**

****The Ring of Fire is a term for the area around the Pacific Ocean where hundreds of Earthquakes and Volcanoes are located**

* * *

><p><em>The Next Day…<em>

Takato and his family decided to leave Tengi Base (after being granted permission) and explore Beijing for a bit as a bit of "family time" (Since it had been 4 years). Takehiro, Mie, Jeri and Takato went out and saw some of the sights Beijing had to offer, and it was fun. They went to the National Grand Theatre, then the Temple of Heaven, and finally the Beijing National Stadium. Afterwards, they sat on a bench in the park, watching some kids play around.

"Man, this is great!" Takato spoke happily.  
>"I'm so glad we had time for this." Mie said excitedly. "I'm so happy we're together again!"<br>"So how does it feel being younger?" Jeri nudged him.  
>"Weird. Very weird." Takato replied.<br>Takehiro chuckled. "Well the point is, we're finally together again. And it is refreshing to be able to go out again."  
>Everyone nodded in agreement.<p>

Suddenly, Takato could hear explosions in the distance. Everyone quickly stood up in alert and looked around.  
>"Look!" Jeri pointed.<br>They all looked and saw Tengi base on fire.  
>His eyes widened. "<em>Sho! Emily! Steven! Henry! Rika…."<br>_"We have to go back! Our friends are in there!" Takato protested.  
>Not needing another word, the family quickly rushed back to the base, where they were forced to stay back, where they saw fighting going on near the compound.<br>"An invasion!?" Takato asked.  
>"Maybe." Jeri replied. "This is really bad…If they're attacking a city this protected, they must feel very confident…"<p>

He hadn't thought of that. All he cared about was seeing his friends alive, and Rika…  
>Takato then saw rebel forces arrive and close in on the women invaders, forcing them to retreat. The fire in the compound was quickly put out, with some damage to the upper floors. The family was soon escorted back inside, with some of the injured being moved elsewhere.<br>Takato looked around for any signs of his friends, when he saw Henry with a bandage wrapped around his shoulder.  
>"Henry!" He called out.<br>"Takato…" He replied. "Good thing you went out today…"  
>Takato sighed. "Where's everyone else?"<p>

"Sho and Emily are alright, my parents are safe too, as are Rika's. But Takato…"  
>His heart sank. He didn't mention Rika at all meaning…<p>

"Rika's been abducted."


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Unreal

Shock, confusion, rage, wonder, astonishment; these were the emotions that ran through Takato as he stood there in front of Henry taking in the news.  
>"<em>Why would they capture Rika!?" He thought, confused. "Why Rika!? Why!?"<br>_"I don't know why they would capture Rika…" Henry echoed his thoughts.  
>"What did you see!?" He quickly said.<br>"While they were retreating, they took hostages." Henry replied. "It was to keep the rebel army from pursuing them. According to Sho, the situation is getting desperate for the women leadership. They've been taking losses all over the world and most women armies have been pushed out of their continents."  
>"There's more." Sho arrived with Emily. "We didn't realize this before, but the main base is located in Hong Kong, here in China. That is most likely where they've taken their hostages."<p>

"I'm sorry Takato." Henry lowered his head. "I tried defending Rika but got peppered with machine gun fire and knocked out."  
>Takato looked up at the damaged ceiling. So good news and bad news; the rebel armies are finally pushing forward and have found their capital. Yet Rika is now there in captivity again…<br>"Are the rebels going to move in soon?" He asked.  
>"Yes." Sho replied. "They're bound to leave at anytime. The main armies are being assembled here at Tengi base. A force of one million is being prepped to attack the base. They should be assembled near the main hangars and—"<br>Before Sho could finish, Takato had bolted for the hangars.  
>Henry quickly stood up and called after his friend.<br>"Wait! Takato don't!" he yelled, but then gasped in pain and sat down. His arm was in a cast, and couldn't move much without it hurting.  
>"TAKATO! Where are you going!?" Mie shouted.<br>"No Takato!" Takehiro called after him.|  
>"Please no!" Jeri also yelled.<br>He ignored all of them. He didn't care anymore. Takato was going with the rebel armies and freeing Rika. If he died, so be it.

"_I want Rika back…" He thought. "I'm going to see her through and rescue her!"  
><em>

* * *

><p>"Takato what are you doing here!?" Steven asked.<br>He had managed to reach the hangar, where Steven and Rob were going to depart on their fighter jet.  
>"I'm going with the rebels. Rika's been captured and I need to find her." Takato said.<br>Steven gasped. "Takato! This isn't like last time, it's going to be twice as hellish, and millions of soldiers are going to be on the battlefield! It—"  
>"I get that." He replied. "This time, I'm ready. I don't care what I see on that field, I care about Rika too much to back down now."<p>

"Kid's got a brave soul." Rob quipped. "Can't fault him for that."  
>Steven sighed. "I guess not, and it's not my choice. All right Takato, there's going to be a large fleet of bombers departing after the ground forces. There will be volunteers there too, join them and a general will be there to suit you up."<br>Takato nodded. "Thanks Steven. And trust me, I'll make it back."  
>He gave a sad smile. "You better."<br>Takato chuckled and ran to find the volunteers.

"Reminds me of you." Rob said.  
>Steven looked at him. "How?"<br>"I remember someone wanted to fight for one's country and for the ones they loved. He was just 17, and wanted nothing more than to bring honor to his family. This kid just wants to save the ones he loves. Sound similar?"  
>He sighed. "I really hoped you wouldn't bring up that memory."<br>Rob laughed. "Come on my brother! Let's end this f*cked up war!"  
>Steven smiled and boarded his fighter with Rob behind him.<p>

"_To the end…"_ he thought.

* * *

><p>Takato rushed to a nearby C-130 and saw a number of standing outside. Joining them, he noticed they were all waiting for the general.<br>"Hey!" One of them said. "You're the one that freed the prisoners!"  
>All eyes were on Takato. He stopped for a moment, and then spoke.<br>"Yes I am." Takato said. "I'm here to find someone I care about."  
>"So am I!" Another kid spoke; he looked a little older than Takato.<br>"Well well…" another familiar voice spoke.  
>Everyone looked, and it was General Misho.<p>

"Takato is it?" He asked, chuckling. "Lucky break huh?"  
>"Ain't that the truth." He chuckled. "I'm ready!"<br>Murmurs of excitement went through the crowd of volunteers.  
>"Listen up all of you!" He spoke loudly. "This is going to be a difficult mission, we plan to infiltrate the base while the main army surrounds the city. Come with me into the bomber and I'll outline the location."<br>So everyone followed him into the C-130. He pressed a few buttons, and a screen came up.

"Last time, we found out that dropping spies behind the lines leads to confusion, and that anomaly last time really worked out in our favor. However this time they'll be expecting something like this, so there will be defenses on the roofs. So our jet fleet will deliver attacks on the defenses and try to neutralize them. After they've been cleared out, we'll send paratroopers and some of you volunteers to infiltrate the base and free the hostages. The reason why we're doing it that way is because we plan to detonate the base when you leave."

Gasps went through the crowds. Someone piped up: "Why blow up the base?"

"We've recently gotten word about a secret weapon the enemy has had since the start of this war. Apparently it was used once before but nobody could pick it up. We have reason to believe that weapon is in their main base. So once the hostages are out, the base will be destroyed. Got it?"  
>Nods were seen throughout the crowd.<br>"Alright, let's go!" Misho called in front of the bomber. The large door lifted up and closed behind them. Troops emerged from the bomber and fitted everyone into their seats. Takato noticed these seats were more secure than the last one. Completely bolted to the wall and the floor.  
>He couldn't help but chuckle.<br>"_Looks like they wised up…"_ he thought.

* * *

><p><em>One Hour Later…<em>

Takato looked at his new attire. He was now wearing an army uniform and a helmet, holding an assault rifle. He had forgotten that he barely used a gun, so they had to quickly teach the volunteers before the battle started.  
>Takato could hear explosions from a distance, getting louder every second.<br>"What's the situation?" Misho asked.  
>"So far the rebels have managed to surround the compound." A soldier said. "The fighters have already started their bombing."<br>"Do we know who the leader of this movement is?"  
>"None whatsoever." The soldier replied. "This leader, whoever she may be, has been clever on hiding her identity."<p>

Misho rubbed his chin. "Whoever she is, this game will soon be over."  
>The soldier nodded, and returned to his post.<br>Suddenly, a loud bang caused everyone to jump.  
>"Status!" Misho yelled.<br>"The bomber is undamaged!" a soldier called out. "The shot missed us by inches. We've just received word that the fighters have done their job, the defenses are down!"  
>"Figures." He said. "Alright, all of you ready?"<br>The bay doors below them opened, and they could see the compound about to pass under them. Everyone was unhooked from their seats and was given a backpack.  
>"Your parachutes!" Misho yelled over the wind. "Large holes have been blasted through the roof, parachute into them, infiltrate the base and kill the one behind this! GO GO GO!"<p>

Takato looked down, and gulped.  
>"<em>Rika…I'm coming!"<br>_He jumped, and sailed through the air towards the compound. The wind rushed past him at an amazing force, but this time it was better. Last time, he was falling uncontrollably through the air due to a malfunction. Now, he was free-falling under his own power.  
>As the compound got closer, he could see the other soldiers falling around him.<br>Then, he grabbed the string and released the parachute, stopping his free-fall.  
>Takato floated and landed next to a hole in the roof, and disconnected his parachute.<br>"_This is going smoothly…" He thought. "Too smoothly…"  
><em>He then jumped down the hole with the others and landed in a very large…auditorium?  
>"What the hell?" One of the volunteers yelled out.<br>Takato suddenly felt extremely tense. He looked around and saw the many doors that led into here…

"It's a trap!" He yelled out. "Take cover!"  
>In that instant, bullets exploded from everywhere. Everyone quickly jumped for cover behind the rows of seats in the auditorium.<br>"_Why is there no one leading us!?" _He thought wildly. "_They just send us in here and hope we survive!?"  
><em>Takato quickly turned and shot the front of him, downing two enemy soldiers.  
>Suddenly, he saw the lights break loose and fall to the ground, killing the rest of the enemies.<br>"Hey who shot that!?" someone yelled.  
>"I did!" Someone else shouted back.<br>"Nice one!" Takato had to comment. That was clever.

Suddenly, they saw someone else parachute into the auditorium.  
>"Not bad." The voice of Rob landed.<br>"Where were you?" Takato asked.  
>"I got hung up." He said. "I got sprayed with machine gun fire while parachuting from Steven's plane. Got clipped a bit."<br>He showed his side, and some red marks were present.  
>"Oh." He replied. "Sorry."<br>"No need, now let's go!" Rob ordered.

* * *

><p>It was intense from the very start. When they exited the auditorium, they were in a large hallway with multiple doors. Every now and then women soldiers would pop out and shoot at them, forcing them to duck into another corridor. Soon the ruckus died down, and they were able to track the prison.<br>"Only one prison…" Takato said. "You think—"  
>"Another trap?" Rob finished for him. "Yes, I think so."<br>"So whadda we do?" one of them asked.

"Draw them out." Rob replied. "We need a distraction. I'll handle that. We—"  
>Suddenly, a large explosion rattled somewhere behind them. The compound shook, and they fell.<br>"Arrgh!" Takato groaned and stood up quickly. "The hell was that!?"  
>"Don't know, don't wanna know right now." Rob said. "I'm going to set explosives outside the prison, it should distract them long enough to leave the compound bare.<br>Everyone nodded and took cover in a corridor while he disappeared. They waited and waited until…  
>BOOM! A violent explosion rattled the windows near them and shattered them.<br>Rob quickly reappeared around the corner and gestured them to go, enabling everyone to quickly scramble to the prison.

"Whoa…" Takato said.

The prison was enormous. Towers stood around the prison in a circular motion. A main office was seen in the middle of the prison to monitor the inmates, and the cells themselves were large.  
>"Let's do this quickly!" Rob ordered, and everyone quickly dispersed, shooting the doors open and letting them out.<br>Takato looked around and didn't see Rika in any of the prisons. He opened the main office door and looked there. A yellow folder caught his eye and he opened it.

His eyes widened at the information in front of him:

**Test Subject 1332: RIKA NONAKA**

_**July 8**__**th**__**, 2008**_

_The subject seems to be responding normally to the new vaccination implemented. Few symptoms have surfaced since the beginning of the test (vomiting, some bleeding, fever). Overall testing is working as predicted._

_**August 28**_

_The subject has shown no signs of aging up to this point. Test continues to function as normal. More symptoms have surfaced however, such as nausea, continued vomiting, and the occasional seizure…_

Takato gritted his teeth. The file he was holding was the journal entries of Rika being experimented on. Rage was coursing through his veins, causing his hands to shake while holding the file. He skipped to the fourth year:

_**April 18, 2012**_

_The subject's antibodies have started attacking the vaccination even more ferociously then ever. The subject has also started aging again, much to the dismay of the staff… The subject has also registered cases of intense pain and screaming. Attempting to escape the lab had been futile, leading to stronger binding to the subject…_

In an instant, Takato had ripped the file into pieces and threw them on the ground. He now knew where she was.

"_She's going to be experimented on again…" He thought angrily. "I need to find the infirmary! Or the lab!"_

* * *

><p>Takato rushed out of the prison and looked for any signs of an infirmary or laboratory. He came across a directory, which pointed him to a lab downstairs. Not having much choice, he started down the stairs quickly. Gunfire suddenly sounded above him, and he ducked his head as he ran. He crashed through a door and found himself in a lab. He could see tables with people strapped to them, and scientists that were working on them suddenly stopped and looked at Takato. A legion of women soldiers quickly burst into the room and aimed at Takato.<p>

He looked at the nearest table and saw a familiar red haired girl unconscious…

Takato suddenly started to see red. Everyone staring at him became a target.

"You're not leaving this place…" He said furiously. And with a yell he then raised his assault rifle and fired.

**My longest chapter! This story will reach its climax soon, so be prepared! **


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Disbelief

Takato breathed heavily, shocked that he was still alive. He dropped his gun and looked around. Everyone that had attacked him was dead. But he didn't get out unscathed. He looked at his right shoulder; two bullets had pierced the vest and were bleeding.  
>Takato quickly shook Rika awake.<br>"Rika! Rika!" He cried out.  
>She slowly opened her eyes. "T…T…Takato?<br>He quickly broke the cuffs holding her and threw his arms around her.  
>"Oh my God Rika!" A tear fell from his eyes as he hugged her.<p>

"I can't…believe…you found me…" A tear fell from her eye as she started regaining her strength.  
>"I'm so glad…" Takato whispered, but then became alert.<br>"We should get out of here." He said. "We'll have time for this later. But just one question; why did they kidnap you?"  
>"The experiments." She replied. "I was one of the test subjects for anti-aging remember?"<br>"Yeah…I saw your file." Takato said angrily. "I just couldn't believe it at first…"  
>"It doesn't matter now, we need to get out of here." Rika said.<br>Nodding, they quickly bolted out of the laboratory and into the hallway. Immediately, machine gun fire greeted them, forcing them to duck into the stairway.

Takato felt his shoulder; pain was starting to seep into his shoulder. Grunting, they quickly ran up the stairs and onto the top floor. Coming upon the landing, they saw one hallway and one door.  
>"Is that…where she lives?" He asked.<br>"Where who lives?" Rika replied.  
>"The leader herself. The one who instigated this whole apocalypse in the first place, the one who destroyed countless lives and changed many more. Right where it began."<br>She gasped, and looked at the end of the hall. Rika gritted her teeth and took out a pistol.  
>Takato froze. "Where did you get that!?"<br>"While we were leaving the lab I swiped one from one of the corpses. Thought the bigger guns were too heavy."

He nodded, and they started down the corridor. The lights were flickering, causing a small strobe effect.  
>Takato then groaned in pain at the bullet wounds in his shoulder.<br>"Are you alright?" She whispered.  
>He nodded quickly and they started down again. Reaching the door, Takato and Rika stopped a few feet away.<br>"Let's kick it open." She said.  
>"Got it. Ready? One, two, THREE!"<p>

They both ferociously kicked the door wide open and bolted in. The lights were off, but they could see a large desk with the chair turned to their backs.  
>"Hands up! It's over!" Takato used his left arm to raise the assault rifle at the chair. Rika aimed her handgun with both hands at the same spot.<br>"Well hello there." A man's voice spoke.  
>Takato and Rika gasped.<br>"_A man's voice!?" He thought wildly. "A man was behind this the whole time!?"  
><em>"It's pleasant to see you again." The chair turned, and the man turned the lights on.

Rika gasped, and fell to her knees._ "No…that's impossible!"  
><em>

"Hello, daughter."

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile outside the compound…<br>_"Keep the artillery fire going!" General Misho called from his C-130 bomber. "The rebels are gaining ground every minute! How are the volunteers?"  
>"So far relatively few casualties." A soldier reported. "The hostages have been found and freed. But…"<br>"But?" Misho asked. "Tell me boy!"  
>"One of the volunteers is up on the top floor with one of the hostages…in the main chamber."<p>

"WHAT!?" He yelled out. "By themselves!?"  
>"Yes." The soldier replied. "It looks like no shots have been fired, but looks like a standoff."<br>"Just what I needed…" Misho growled. "The dangerous leader of this godforsaken mess being confronted by just TWO people! Radio in the other volunteers, tell them they need to detach some forces to the main chamber!"  
>"They're bogged down in an intense firefight sir!" The soldier replied back. "They might not be able to move for another 20 minutes!"<p>

"God damn it!" He yelled. "We're stuck then. We'll just have to hope things play out…"  
>"Wait commander." Another soldier started.<br>"What is it?" Misho asked.  
>"Remember how this started? This entire war?" The soldier asked. "With the earthquake and the invasion?"<br>"I do, what does that have to—" Misho started, but the soldier continued:  
>"What if…"<br>The soldier whispered in Misho's ear, causing his eyes to widen.  
>"Put the other leaders of the rebel forces online right now! Tell them to send their constituencies around the world to search for seismic activity!" General Misho ordered.<p>

* * *

><p>"F-father…? Rika stammered.<br>Takato looked at her. "Father!? What!?"  
>"Ah yes young one." The man spoke. "I am Matoko Nonaka, her father."<br>"B-but h-how!?" She stuttered. "W-why?"  
>Matoko stood up. "Isn't it obvious? It was opportunity my daughter. Four years ago I am the one that started the women's group in the first place. I came up with the plot to enlarge the women's group and take over. Did you honestly think the earthquakes were coincidences?"<p>

"How the hell do you recreate a natural disaster!?" Takato protested angrily.  
>"Simple." Matoko replied. "With seismic generators."<br>"Seismic…generators!?" He asked.  
>"Indeed." Matoko said. "You see, by studying the ring of fire for many years I had managed to recreate an epicenter from where an earthquake begins. From there I needed to magnify the strength with stronger technology. How do you think those cryogenic pods stayed in one piece?"<p>

Takato gasped. He remembered what the guide had told him at the Shinjuku observatory…

**Flashback**

_"It is incredible!" the male guide said. "It became a major breakthrough in cryogenics! Now many more possibilities are being considered! Maybe even a way to cure seemingly incurable diseases! In a year like now, we could really use a breakthrough like this in 2008…_

_"So can it withstand anything?" Takato asked._

_"Absolutely!" the guide said. "These pods specifically were designed to withstand strong impacts from almost anything! The toughness was tested in a category 5 hurricane in the Caribbean, debris, bullets from an M4, and more!"_

**END Flashback**

"You tested the seismic generator with the pods…" Takato said.  
>"Bingo." Matoko replied. "Before I could spring my plan into action, I decided to test them first. The cryogenic pods before needed to be tested, and working at my alma mater, I decided to volunteer my own generator."<br>"How do you know the pods survived this disaster?" Takato played dumb. "For all we know they could've been destroyed years ago."  
>"Good one, Takato Matsuki." Matoko smiled.<br>"Wha-?" He felt stunned. "How do you know—"  
>"Your name?" Matoko finished. "Simple, the Martial Arts tournament many years ago. I was a judge."<p>

Takato folded his arms. "That seems too convenient…"  
>He chuckled. "Of course it does, but no less true. You see, my plan for the group was already in the works, so I decided to start finding a suitable student as a "bodyguard" if you will. I saw you win the tournament; I saw your skill and grew interested in you. Yet I decided not to act immediately, for I knew it was too early to try to convince you to join me."<br>"Oh right, like I'd join a goddamn cult with you at the helm!" He yelled back.

"Indeed you wouldn't." Matoko continued. "So I watched you since that day. As I gained more influence and built up a larger following, I started making my final plans for domination. By this time it was 2008, and I wanted to choose you as an 'apprentice' so to speak. That is why one of my seismic generators was planted at the Shinjuku Observatory."  
>"Are you f*cking kidding me!?" Rika spoke up angrily. "You're telling me YOU caused the observatory Takato was in to collapse?"<br>He nodded. "Yes I did. An agent that was tracking you let me know on your whereabouts, and I knew the pods were going to be on display. So I gave the signal to activate the generators while you and your friend were at the exhibit, thus forcing you to use the pods to escape the destruction."

Takato was shaking his head in disbelief. All of this seemed like coincidence; nonsense strung up to try to confuse him. He just couldn't wrap his mind around such a plot.  
>"This is bullshit!" He shouted. "You expect me to believe that all this time, you've been manipulating the field around me so Henry and I would be forced to use the pods and be unfrozen in the future? Come on!"<br>"You may think so now, but let me ask you this." Matoko said calmly. "If everything I said was a farce, then how did you reach this time in 2012, and not some other random time? Also, how would I know you'd be at the Observatory on June 15th, 2008? And finally, how do I know anything about you at all if everything I said was a lie?"

Takato stopped. _"H-how does he know who I am!? Does he really expect me to believe what the hell he just said? About Henry and I being followed and using the pods? But at the same time he knows I fought in the Shinjuku tournament, he knows I was going to be at the observatory that day, and he knew I'd use the pods…How? HOW!?"  
><em>"Lost?" Matoko asked. "Let me explain everything."  
>Suddenly, a loud bang sounded in the room. Matoko suddenly stumbled into his chair clutching his shoulder. Takato could see blood slowly pouring out of a fresh wound.<br>He turned and saw that Rika had shot him on his left shoulder.  
>"Rika!" Takato cried out. "Did you-?"<br>"Yes I did!" She said furiously. "Am I supposed to really believe this creature, is my father? This dictator, this narcissistic son of a bitch to be my father!? I have barely any memories of him, but THIS isn't him!"

"I…can prove it…" Matoko spoke weakly.  
>"SHUT UP!" Rika yelled, the gun now shaking in her two hands. "YOU ARE NOT MY FATHER!"<br>"Wait Rika!" Takato used his free hand to push her hands down. "He's unarmed. He's no threat to us. Plus I need to ask him something."  
>She turned to him, livid.<br>"Do it quickly! This f*cker needs to be killed!"  
>"Don't worry, he will." He whispered.<p>

Takato turned to Matoko.  
>"Explain how you knew I was going to be at the observatory that day in June."<br>He noticed that Matoko had temporarily stopped the bleeding by covering his wound with a bandage.  
>"You know your old astronomy teacher?"<br>He gasped. _"Mr. Joji!?  
><em>"I'm guessing he bragged all about the cryogenic pods throughout your class and on the way to the observatory. Am I right?" Matoko asked.  
>"…" Takato said nothing.<br>"_He's spot on…" He thought. "He's been talking to us about the pods for months…but how would he know that!? Unless…"_

"Wait a minute…" Takato asked. "Are you telling me that my teacher Mr. Joji was the spy that was keeping an eye on me?"  
>A grin appeared on Matoko's face.<br>"Correct." He said. "I was the one who gave him the orders to take the field trip to the observatory in the first place. I wanted to plant you at the observatory at the right time. So by then, I could set my plan in motion."  
>"<em>Bullshit…"<br>_"Bullshit." Rika scowled.  
>The suddenly Takato remembered what Misho had said.<br>**_"We've recently gotten word about a secret weapon the enemy has had since the start of this war. Apparently it was used once before but nobody could pick it up. We have reason to believe that weapon is in their main base. So once the hostages are out, the base will be destroyed. Got it?"_**

"_The generators are the secret weapon!?" He thought wildly. "No way! That's why they couldn't pick it up before, it was exactly like a natural disaster!"  
><em>"Why seismic generators?" Takato asked.  
>"Simple." Matoko replied. "These generators were powerful, and they could split the earth with its destruction. If planted in the correct spots, it could disrupt multiple military targets at once around the world. Also, since it seems just like a natural disaster, no one would suspect a conspiracy."<br>Takato had heard enough. As stupid and far-fetched as it sounded, there was a lot of strange logic in his story. He just couldn't believe such an outrageous plan could be even thought of.

"Enough of this shit!" Rika yelled. "Takato, I'm ending this right now!"  
>"You don't want to do that." Matoko said.<br>Suddenly, he took his left sleeve and pulled it back, revealing a silver bracelet.  
>"You see this?" He said. "It's a recognizer. If my heartbeat stops in the event of death, this bracelet will trigger a self-destruct countdown in his facility. And it will trigger the seismic generators still planted. You see, there are 5 generators; one in Africa, one in the Americas, one in Europe, and one in Australia."<br>"You only named four." Rika spat. "Where's the last one?"  
>"Right here." Matoko pointed to the floor below them.<p>

They gasped. Both Takato and Rika now realized their options. Either kill him now and end it but at the same time endanger millions of people, or keep him alive and risk continuing the war.  
>They looked at each other in the eyes. They quickly realized the answer.<br>"_So be it…"  
><em>They quickly pointed their guns at Matoko and fired. The shock on his face was his last expression before he fell, dead.  
>Right on cue the bracelet started beeping, and a number appeared on the device:<br>**5:00**

"Let's go!" Takato yelled and bolted with Rika out of the office. Immediately, the compound started shaking with debris started to fall from the ceiling, forcing them to cover their heads.  
>The pain in Takato's shoulder started to worsen, and he started to lose feeling into his upper arm, but he kept onward, no longer caring about the wound and just wanted to survive.<br>On the way women soldiers popped out of random offices and shot at them, but they were quickly killed. Soon they reached the prison area, where the volunteers were picking off the last of the resistance.  
><strong>4:30<strong>

"Guys!" Takato shouted out. "This place is going to collapse! We need to get out of here now!"  
><strong>3:50<br>**"This way!" Rob led the soldiers out of the room.  
>As they bolted out, he asked Takato:<br>"What's going on!?"  
>"A countdown has started!" He replied back. "The seismic generators are the secret weapons! One of them is going to activate in this building in a few seconds! All over the world the generators are going to activate one last time! We need to get everyone as far away from the compound as possible!"<br>Rob's eyes widened, and he radioed in:  
>"Commander! Get everyone as far away as you can! The seismic generator is going to activate in a matter of moments! Loads of people are going to be killed if they stay!"<br>**2:40  
><strong>"Hurry!" Rika yelled. "We have less than 2 minutes!"  
>They raced towards the auditorium where they entered, when suddenly a wall exploded behind them, knocking everyone down.<p>

Takato turned, and saw a large tank with more women resistance surging towards them.

"GO!" Rob yelled, prompting everyone to scramble for the auditorium. They blasted open a chunk of the wall and started filing out quickly. At that point, the tank fired overhead and blew off a piece of the ceiling, causing large debris to fall. As Takato and Rika bolted for the exit, a piece of debris fell and struck Takato right in the back.  
>"ARRGH!" He yelled, falling to the ground in pain.<br>"TAKATO!" Rika quickly threw the debris off and started carrying him to the exit.  
>Takato was starting to lose consciousness, his vision became blurry, and the battle started to sound distant.<br>Soon they were outside, where fighting was still going on, only the rebel forces were finally retreating.  
>"Come on Takato!" Rika cried out.<br>**1:00**

Suddenly a helicopter blew a hole in the women's forces and landed next to Rika and Takato. They saw Steven and Sho in the cockpit.  
>"Come on!" Steven yelled.<br>Just then, a bullet struck Rika's shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain and to drop Takato.  
>"No!" She shouted, and crawled to the nearly unconscious Takato.<br>"Takato! TAKATO!"  
>He could see Rika shouting his name over and over again as his energy drained out.<br>"_R…Rika…" Takato thought. "Go on…without me…"_

The last thing he saw was Rika crawling over him, shouting as his vision turned black and fell unconscious.

**0:00**


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Finally Over

"Is he going to be alright?"  
>"Yes, he will. Just a broken arm and some bullet wounds on the shoulder, along with lacerations on his back; nasty stuff war is."<br>"But nothing permanent?"  
>"Nope, he'll be just fine. The bullet wounds could take a couple of months, but nothing severe."<br>"Quite a kid he is huh?"  
>"Indeed. I never could imagine one kid could do so much."<br>"You mean two."  
>Laughter broke out among the group.<br>"Yes, two Henry."

Takato's mind was swimming. He had no idea where he was or how he got there. But wherever he was felt very nice and soft…He wished he could just lay here forever and never wake up.  
>"How's Rika?" Henry Wong asked.<br>Suddenly, Takato's heart started to race. Now he remembered what happened. Rika was hurt too...  
>"She's less injured." The doctor said. "Just a bullet wound to the shoulder and nothing else. Lucky for her, no other conditions were found."<br>His heart slowed down. He could hear sighs of relief when everyone realized she was going to be just fine.

Takato opened his eyes, and saw he was in a bright, white room. He squinted as his eyes adjusted to the environment. He looked and saw Takehiro, Mie, Jeri, Steven, Rob, Sho, Emily, and Henry huddled around his bed.  
>"Ah there's the trooper!" Takehiro beamed.<br>"Oh my baby!" Mie burst into tears at the sight of him.  
>"Takato! Are you alright!?" Jeri asked, nervously.<br>He slowly nodded, for he still felt weak from the battle.  
>"Man you look worse than I do." Henry quipped, prompting Takato to chuckle softly.<br>"Yeah…right." He replied. "Like I'd look as bad as you."  
>Laughter echoed around the hospital room. As he gained strength, he sat up.<br>"Where's Rika?"  
>"She's fine." Sho said. "Just a bullet wound. Can you believe that? After the most hellish goddamn—"<br>"Sho!" Emily scolded. "What he means is that it's a wonder you two even made it out. You both caught lucky breaks."

Suddenly the meeting with Matoko came flooding back into his mind, prompting him to panic.  
>"Oh no!" Takato cried out. "There's something I need to say!"<br>Everyone looked at him.  
>"What's wrong, Takato?" Steven asked.<br>"The meeting with the leader, it was a man!" He said.  
>Gasps floated around the group.<br>"A MAN!?" Jeri exclaimed. "How!?"  
>"Apparently he started the group…it's not important!" Takato continued. "The secret weapons were seismic generators! And now that he's dead, seismic generators would have activated all over the world and—"<br>"Take it easy kid." A voice spoke behind them.  
>Everyone turned, and saw General Misho standing in the doorway.<p>

"But people should…could be dead by now!" Takato protested. "And it's my fault! We killed him and acti—"  
>"No, it's not." Misho interrupted. "We managed to figure out the seismic generators during the battle. Once we knew what we were looking for, agents were dispatched from multiple camps near each generator. Since they were not far from the generators (the luck of having camps all over the world in the right places), the managed to hack them and shut it down. So no lives were lost."<br>Takato sighed. "Thank god…"  
>From then on, visitors came in and out to greet Takato and see how he was recovering. After Takato's family, Henry's family came in, followed by Rika's mother and grandmother, Steven's family, and even Shingi from the very beginning was there.<br>When the families left, Takato, Henry, and Shingi were the only ones in the room.

"Shingi!" Takato spoke. "How have you been?"  
>"Been better." Shingi replied, coughing. "Look kid, I'm afraid I don't have much time."<br>He blinked. "What's wrong?"  
>"I won't be around for…much longer." Shingi coughed again.<br>"You're…dying…" Takato realized, as Henry moved and sat next to him.  
>"I am." He replied. "My old age can't seem to take this war anymore. It's time for me to move on and see my love."<br>"Miyoko?" Takato asked.  
>Shingi smiled. "So you remembered. Yes, there is nothing left for me here. I am ready to join my loved ones up there."<br>"I'm sorry Shingi…" Henry said sadly.  
>"Don't be!" He replied. "I'm happy to meet both you. Throughout this chaos and fighting, meeting you two was peaceful for me."<p>

"H-How?" Takato asked.  
>"While I was struggling to stay alive from the war, you gave me hope again." Shingi explained. "After Miyoko died, I lost feeling in my life. I no longer felt like truly living again. She was my muse, my everything. During the war I sat barricaded in my house, never leaving except for food. I just, wilted away…"<br>Takato and Henry stayed silent as he continued.  
>"But then you two stumbled upon the shop where I happened to be. And hearing your stories of finding your families and wanted to rescue them seemed to ignite some old feelings. Feelings I thought were gone when my wife died; so when you two left, I sat in my house and started thinking. I thought: 'why am I just sitting here? I should be doing something instead of just wasting away here?'"<br>"However I didn't know what to do." Shingi said. "I might have felt better to actually take action, what was I supposed to do? I was at a loss for some time before I got news that my granddaughter was captured."

"Y-your granddaughter!?" Takato stammered. "Captured!?"  
>"Yes, my granddaughter Lizzie." Shingi replied. "You see, I did have children a long time ago. They had grown up and started their own lives. Before this giant conflict little Lizzie used to visit me with her mother. Their father was always out doing some business. But while I was watching the TV, I saw her."<br>"Y-you saw your own granddaughter on TV!?" Henry asked, flabbergasted.  
>"Yes." Shingi said. "She and her mother were being hauled into a large armored car and being taken away. At that point, I stood up and decided to risk my life and travel to Beijing where she'd be. But something unexpected happened…"<br>"What happened?" Takato asked, confused.  
>"I managed to reach Haneda Airport and make it to this base." Shingi said. "But when I arrived, she had already been rescued, along with her mother."<p>

"R-really!?" He asked, surprised. "Lucky!"  
>He nodded. "Indeed, when I asked her where she was, she told me a man rescued her and her mommy."<br>"Who rescued her?" Henry asked.  
>"It was this boy here." Shingi replied pointing to Takato.<br>"W-What!?" Takato stuttered. "_I_ did?"  
>But then the memory came back to him.<p>

**FLASHBACK**

_A little girl was crying in her cell.  
>"Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright." Takato spoke softly, but it was hard to hear with all the gunfire.<br>"Stand back!" He ordered, and blasted the lock out. Ryo quickly opened the door and led her behind the crates to hide. Takato then shot the next lock out and freed an older woman, who he quickly rushed her to Ryo's hiding spot._

_"Alright, let's get them to safety." He said._

"That's right…" Takato said. "It was at the first compound when Ryo and I broke out those prisoners…"  
>He turned to Shingi.<br>"That was your _granddaughter_?" He asked, bewildered. "That means the older woman was her mother…"  
>"Y-Yes I…"<br>Suddenly, Shingi started coughing violently, he fell to his knees and coughed even more. A nurse quickly rushed in and brought him a wheelchair along with an oxygen mask. Soon the air returned and Shingi rested on the wheelchair.  
>"I-I'm sorry…" He said weakly. "I wish I could…say more…"<br>"Shingi…" Takato replied sadly.  
>"Th-Thank you…Takato, Henry…" Shingi said slowly. "For making me believe again…"<br>"Goodbye…Shingi" Takato and Henry said.  
>The nurse then wheeled him out of the room.<p>

* * *

><p>After the nurse left, another figure entered the room. Henry looked and promptly left the room, smiling.<br>Takato looked up, and saw Rika smiling at him.  
>"You're better…" She said softly.<br>He nodded, smiling back. "Yes I am."  
>She suddenly rushed to him.<br>"Oh Takato!" Rika cried out.  
>She embraced him, prompting Takato to use his unbroken hand to hug her back.<br>He looked up and saw tears in her eyes.  
>"I…can't believe we made it…" Rika said.<br>"I know…" Takato replied. "Even now, I'm still shocked that we're here, in one piece."

Rika laid her head on his unhurt shoulder. "I'm just so glad it's over. I just want to go home…"  
>"Me too." He said. "Now we can rebuild our lives. We'll return to Shinjuku and fix things to the way the were."<br>Rika raised her head and looked deep into his eyes.  
>"Not everything." She said.<br>Takato looked at her puzzled, but then realized what she meant.

"No, not everything." He agreed, and pulled her into a deep kiss.

**Good god, this has to be the craziest (And longest) story I have ever done! Starting off with a completely crazy plot synopsis and ending with this was not easy. Yet I had a lot of fun with it and look forward to writing another story! But don't leave just yet! There is still one final chapter and an alternate ending; coming up next is the Epilogue and then the Alternate Ending!**


	23. Epilogue

Epilogue

**One Year Later…**

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAKATO!" Everyone shouted as Takato Matsuki blew out the candles.  
>Cheers erupted from the large table and the candles were taken off the cake.<br>Takato, Rika, Henry and their families were all gathered at the Matsuki bakery to celebrate Takato's 19th birthday.  
>"Alright who wants a piece?" Mie called out.<br>Everyone raised their plates to try to get a piece of the Matsuki family's homemade cake. Flavored with chocolate with vanilla and cookie dough, it was fantastic.  
>Suddenly the doorbell rang, and Takehiro opened it. Sho, Emily, Steven, and Rob had arrived.<br>"Hey guys!" Takato waved from the table.

Since the war had ended, reconstruction was underway. The last of the women army had surrendered and peace was restored. Some pockets of resistance remained, but nowhere as bad as it once was. The Matsuki bakery was rebuilt, and most of Shinjuku was being repaired. Slowly but surely, things returned to the pre-war standing. The observatory was also rebuilt, prompting a few journalists to try to question Takato and Henry about using the cryogenic pods to survive and how they managed to even think about using the pods as protection. However their parents had angrily chased them off. Takato, Henry and Rika would return home and Rika herself would enroll in Takato's college when it was rebuilt.

"Hey Takato!" Sho called out.  
>"Oh man this is awesome!" Henry said as he ate his slice of cake.<br>Rika then poked Takato in the ribs, almost forcing him to spit out his cake.  
>"R-Rika!" He scolded, causing her to giggle.<br>"Oh is that gonna be how it is now? So be it!" Takato then used his hands and tickled both of her sides, causing her to giggle madly.  
>"N-no s-s-stop!" She warned through her giggles, causing everyone to laugh.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Later that night…<strong>_

When all the guests were gone (besides Rika), and after Takato had said goodnight to his parents when they went to sleep, both young adults went up to his room.  
>"Unfortunately, we're going to have to have our fun another time…" Rika whispered in his ear, causing him to smile.<br>"Don't worry, there will be plenty of time for that." Takato replied.  
>She lay down on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. "Can you believe how much we have gone through in this adventure?"<br>Takato lay beside her. "It's unbelievable to say the least. I just couldn't believe any of this was even possible. I mean all of this sounds like complete crap."  
>Rika laughed. "You're telling me. I mean jeez, how f*cked up do you think it could've gotten had things continued the way they were?"<p>

"I don't even wanna think about it…" he replied sheepishly. "I'm just glad it's over."  
>"Here, here." Rika said. "But you know what else?"<br>Takato turned to face her. "What?"  
>"Just remember how we met." She insisted.<br>He closed his eyes and remembered their first meeting at Haneda airport, and running into a hospital room…  
>They both smiled.<br>"Oh yes I do remember." Takato said. "It was weird as all hell."  
>She laughed again. "Can't argue against that. Random as all hell too."<p>

They fell silent. The violence and the deaths they experienced did not have to be said.  
>Takato then spoke:<br>"If there's one good thing that came out of this, it was that I met you."  
>Rika turned to him, heart racing.<br>"Takato…?"  
>He turned to her.<br>"I'm so happy to have met you." He said. "I love you, and if this craziness hadn't started, I don't think I would have ever met you."  
>A tear fell from one of her eyes.<br>"Takato!" She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight.  
>"Takato…" Rika started. "I am also very happy to know you. You're different from other guys; you're kind, smart, courageous, and strong. If I hadn't met you during this war, I might've not been able to go on. Before I had met you, I was in that lab being experimented on…you really helped me end the nightmares and clear my mind. I love you too!"<p>

They then closed the space between them in a firm kiss. They hugged and kissed for a few minutes before breaking off.  
>"Rika…"<br>"Takato…"

They settled into bed and lay close to each other, happy for each other's company.

This conflict was now over, and life could begin again. For Takato and Rika, being together was the greatest feeling in the world. Now, there was nowhere to go but up; the dawn of a new chapter begins again…

**THE END**

**It's finally over! (Whew!) After many twists and turns and fights and revelations, it finally is over. Like I said earlier I greatly enjoyed writing this story and putting these chapters out were great! Remember there is still the alternate ending left! Thanks for joining me and I'll see you soon! Review! **


	24. Chapter 21 B: Alternate Ending

Chapter 21 (B): Impossible Story/Alternate Ending

"How are they doing?"  
>"Overall no injuries, but they nearly caught hypothermia in the pod. I don't know how long it'll be when they wake up. They've been in comas for two weeks."<br>Sobbing could be heard in the background.  
>"Oh please wake up Takato! Henry!" A voice cried out.<p>

Wherever he was, it felt cold. Very cold. Takato started shivering in place.  
>He opened his eyes. He looked around and saw he was in a hospital room. Suddenly, arms wrapped around him tightly.<br>"TAKATO!" The voice of Jeri Katou filled his ears.  
>"Hey hey easy!" The doctor ordered, and pulled Jeri away.<br>"Takato! Are you alright!?" She asked.  
>"Augh…" He groaned. "Cold."<br>Takato looked at Jeri, when he suddenly realized she no longer looked older. She looked the same age as he did!"  
>"<em>What the…?" he thought. "Jeri looks the same as 4 years ago!"<br>_He suddenly heard moaning on his right. Takato looked and saw Henry was stirring.  
>"<em>Wait a minute…" He thought. "Why is Henry in a hospital bed with me too? He broke his arm! He shouldn't have been in combat at all!"<em>

He then realized that Henry wasn't wearing a cast!  
>Takato gasped. <em>"What the hell!? Am I going crazy? He had a cast before I went off to rescue—"<br>_"Where's Rika!?" He asked.  
>"Rika?" The doctor asked. "Who is Rika?"<br>"Rika Nonaka! The girl I escaped the compound with!"  
>Confused expressions appeared on Jeri and the doctor's faces.<br>"Takato, we don't know a Rika Nonaka…" Jeri said.  
>"W-what!?" He replied, flabbergasted. "But…but…where am I?"<br>"You're in the Shinjuku Hospital." The doctor answered. "You and Henry were found still in the pods after the earthquake, so we had to shut it down and get you to a nearby hospital before you froze to death."

His mouth dropped open. "W-w-what!? I'm in Shinjuku!?"  
>Jeri's eyes widened. "Takato this is where you live! You don't remember!?"<br>Before he could speak, Henry woke up.  
>"Arrgh…" He muttered. "Are we still at the camp?"<br>Takato's head snapped towards Henry's bed.  
>"<em>Did he just say 'camp'?" He thought. "Then what's going on!? Are you saying everything that happened was a dream!? The invasion, the destruction, the rebels, women armies, Haneda airport and…Rika?"<br>_He shook his head. "Henry, we're in Shinjuku."  
>"W-what!?" He stammered.<br>Takato shot him a look, as if to say, "_Don't talk about the camp."_

"I mean…yeah I remember!" Henry spoke, a feverish grin appearing on his face.  
>Takato looked down at his bed sheets. He just couldn't believe that everything that had happened, all of the near death experiences, the aging, meeting Rika…was all just a dream.<br>"_It all felt so real…" he thought. "The fighting, the traveling, the near death…everything felt so real! And Henry...had the same dream I did!?"_

Afterwards, both of their families came in and hugged them. They were all so worried and frantic about being stuck in the pods. Takato wasn't really listening, for he was still having trouble contemplating that everything he thought had happened was really fake.

"_That means…" he thought sadly. "Rika doesn't exist…"  
><em>

* * *

><p>Takato and Henry stayed in the hospital for another day before being released with a full recovery. As they left the hospital they looked around and saw Shinjuku was just as normal before the earthquake, with the exception of a few damaged buildings and the observatory being hit hard.<br>Later that day, Takato and Henry decided to head to the college and to affirm that it was standing.

When they looked up at the building, it was still in one piece.  
>"I can't believe this..." Henry said. "All of that was a dream? And we were dreaming the same thing!?<br>"I know..." Takato said, depressed. "Everything we experienced was all a delusion."  
>"Well not really a delusion but yeah..." Henry replied. "But my arm is just fine, and in the dream I broke it..."<br>"What's most shocking is that all of it felt so real." Takato said. "It's ironic really, to me the dream feels more real than where we are right now."  
>"I know!" Henry agreed. "It's like...we're in this huge war where we could die at any moment, finding our families and everything, but now we're here as if nothing happened."<br>"And truth be told, nothing _did_ happen..." Takato said.  
>They sighed, and went home.<p>

A few days later they returned to their college and resumed life as normal. With classes, tests, projects, and assignments to be done.  
>On Friday, Takato arrived in his psychology class and handed in his 7-page essay about the human brain. Mrs. Mayaka took the assignment and smiled.<br>"Great work Takato." She complimented. "You've greatly improved your average since last month, keep it up."  
>A small smile came to his lips. "Thanks."<br>He made his way to his seat, feeling depressed. Despite everything moving as smoothly as it could be, Takato was still very unhappy.  
>"<em>Ugh…" he thought. "She never existed after all…<em>"

But just then, a student entered the class. Takato didn't even bother to look up who sat next to him, until the girl spoke.  
>"Excuse me?" She asked. "I'm new here, is this Psychology 204?"<br>Takato looked up at her and gasped.  
>"<em>No…no way!"<br>_"Y-yes this is it." He replied. "What's your name?"  
>The red haired girl extended a hand and smiled.<p>

"I'm Rika, Rika Nonaka."

**I was tempted to use this ending, but I thought if I did, it would make the rest of the story feel like a waste. I mean with this ending, I could've ended this story so much sooner without Takato and Henry ever escaping to Haneda airport when they traveled to China. But I thought it was a good idea anyway and decided to post it as an alternate ending and get your input on it. Like it? Hate it? You decide!**


End file.
